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Benallal KE, Mezai G, Mefissel M, Klari N, Lardjane C, Khardine AF, Kherachi I, Dib Y, Brahmi K, Sadlova J, Volf P, Harrat Z. Host competence of Algerian Gerbillus amoenus for Leishmania major. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:69-73. [PMID: 37144140 PMCID: PMC10151220 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most important neglected disease reported in North Africa, Algeria ranks second in the world with more than 5000 cases per year. In Algeria, two rodent species Psammomys obesus and Meriones shawi, are so far known as proven reservoirs of Leishmania major, however, they are absent in several endemic localities. In this study, we experimentally infected Gerbillus rodents trapped around human dwellings in Illizi, Algeria to assess their susceptibility to L. major. Seven gerbils, morphologically and molecularly identified as Gerbillus amoenus, were intradermally inoculated with 104 parasites derived from culture, monitored for six months and their infectiousness for sand flies was tested by xenodiagnosis. The study revealed that G. amoenus was susceptible to L. major and was able to maintain and transmit the parasites to sand flies tested six months after infection, suggesting the role of this gerbil as a potential reservoir for L. major.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal Eddine Benallal
- Laboratory of Parasitic Eco-Epidemiology and Genetic of Populations, Institut Pasteur of Algiers, Algeria
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Corresponding author. Laboratory of Parasitic Eco-Epidemiology and Genetic of Populations, Institut Pasteur of Algiers, Algeria.
| | - Ghania Mezai
- Laboratory of Parasitic Eco-Epidemiology and Genetic of Populations, Institut Pasteur of Algiers, Algeria
| | | | - Nadia Klari
- Mouloud Maameri University, Department of Biology, Ecology and Biology of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Laboratory, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria
| | - Cylia Lardjane
- Mouloud Maameri University, Department of Biology, Ecology and Biology of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Laboratory, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria
| | - Ahmed-Fayez Khardine
- Laboratory Emergent and Reemergent Viruses, Institut Pasteur of Algiers, Algeria
| | - Ihcen Kherachi
- Laboratory of Parasitic Eco-Epidemiology and Genetic of Populations, Institut Pasteur of Algiers, Algeria
| | - Yacine Dib
- Public Establishment of Nearby Health of Illizi, Ibn-Sina, Algeria
| | - Karima Brahmi
- Mouloud Maameri University, Department of Biology, Ecology and Biology of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Laboratory, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria
| | - Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Laboratory of Parasitic Eco-Epidemiology and Genetic of Populations, Institut Pasteur of Algiers, Algeria
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