Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy) V

Abstract

Rattus rattus and Vulpes vulpes from an inland human and dog leishmaniasis focus of the Province of Grosseto (Tuscany, Italy) were previously found infected by Leishmania. Phlebotomus perfiliewi was the predominant phlebotomine species of that focus. A search has been carried out in a coastal leishmaniasis focus with different environmental characteristics where human cases have been rare, the dog incidence very high (24%) and P. perniciosus the predominant species. In this focus, R. rattus was also found to be infected by Leishmania.