CRICETULUS MIGRATORIUS (GRAY HAMSTER), ANOTHER POSSIBLE ANIMAL RESERVOIR OF KALA-AZAR IN MESHKIN-SHAHR, IRAN

Abstract

Altogether, 120 Rodents of 4 species were trapped alive in various parts of Meshkin-Shar district where visceral leishmaniasis is endemic. 13 of them were Cricetulus migratorius (gray hamste) that all were caught inside the living rooms. Nine of them showed Leishmania antibody in titers of ≥ 1:100 in direct agglutination test (DAT) and amastigotes were found in the spleen smears of 2 Cricetulus migratorius One of them showed Leishmania antibody in titer of 1:400 and another one in titer 1:800 in DA test. This is the first report on the natural infection of a rodent with Leishmania in its internal organs in the endemic foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Iran.