title: Mixed infection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis in rodents from endemic urban area of the New World.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Brazil Leishmania braziliensis and L. infantum are the principal species responsible for cutaneous and visceral leishmaniases, respectively. Domestic dogs are the main reservoirs of visceral leishmaniasis, while rodents and marsupials are the main reservoirs for cutaneous leishmaniasis. It has also been suggested that dogs could play a role in transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The identification of the species of Leishmania, the reservoirs, and the vectors involved in each particular transmission cycle is critical for the establishment of control activities. Belo Horizonte has emerged as an endemic region for leishmaniases, however, epidemiological studies assessing the contribution of wild reservoirs to transmission are scarce in the area. The aim of this study was to investigate Leishmania spp. infection in possible reservoirs of an urbanized area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high rate of infection was found in small mammals (64.9%) and dogs (DG1 30.4% and DG2 48.6%). The presence of L. infantum and L. braziliensis was detected in small mammals and dogs, and mixed infections by both species were detected in rodents which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first description of this phenomenon in an urban area. Additionally, L. amazonensis was detected in the canine samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possible role of these animals as a source of infection of the vector of each species of Leishmania identified should not be overlooked and should be taken into account in future control activities. The results of mixed infection by L. braziliensis and L. infantum in cosmopolitan rodents as M. musculus and R. rattus, may have important implications in the context of the control of leishmaniasis in urban areas, especially when considering that these rodents live in close relationship with human dwellings, especially those in more precarious conditions.
authors.affiliation: Fiocruz Mato Grosso do Sul, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Campo Grande, MS, Brasil. ecferreira@fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Eduardo de Castro
authors.initials: Ede C
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madri, Espanha. cruzi@isciii.es.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Center for Leishmaniasis, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madri, Espanha. ccanave@isciii.es.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cañavate
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática, Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. amaraldemelo@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Lutiana Amaral
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Estudos em Leishmanioses, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. agnes.pereira@cpqrr.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Agnes Antônia Sampaio
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Sete Soluções e Tecnologias Ambientais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. fammadeira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Filipe A M
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Madeira
authors.affiliation: Regional Nordeste, Secretaria de Saúde de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. sosodobebe@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Sofia Alves Nogueira
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Valério
authors.affiliation: Sete Soluções e Tecnologias Ambientais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. heitor.cunha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Heitor Morais
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. apaglia@icb.ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Adriano Pereira
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Paglia
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Estudos em Leishmanioses, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. gontijo@cpqrr.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Célia Maria Ferreira
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gontijo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002947:Cities; D060085:Coinfection; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D004285:Dogs; D007892:Leishmania braziliensis; D018314:Leishmania infantum; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000523:psychology