Equids may be infected by zoonotic Leishmania spp., including Leishmania infantum, in regions where canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is endemic, and Leishmania martiniquensis, which has been reported in horses from Central Europe. This study was designed to evaluate the occurrence of both Leishmania spp. among equids living in CanL endemic areas of Italy, as well as to identify dipteran vectors from the same habitats. From March to October 2023, blood, serum and tissue samples from skin lesions were collected from equids (n = 98; n = 56 donkeys and n = 42 horses) living in Italy, as well as sand flies and biting midges. Blood samples (n = 98) and skin lesions (n = 56) were tested for Leishmania spp. by conventional and real time PCRs and sera were tested by immunofluorescence antibody tests (IFAT) for both L. infantum and L. martiniquensis. Insects were morphologically identified, and female specimens (n = 268 sand flies, n = 7 biting midges) analyzed for Leishmania DNA, as well as engorged sand flies (n = 16) for blood-meal detection. Two animals with skin lesions (i.e., one donkey and one horse) scored positive for Leishmania spp. DNA, and 19 animals (i.e., 19.4%; n = 13 donkeys and n = 6 horses) were seropositive for L. infantum, with five of them also for L. martiniquensis. Most seropositive animals had no dermatological lesions (i.e., 68.4%) while both animals molecularly positive for Leishmania spp. scored seronegative. Of the 356 sand flies collected, 12 females (i.e., n = 8 Sergentomyia minuta; n = 3 Phlebotomus perniciosus, n = 1 Phlebotomus perfiliewi) were positive for Leishmania spp. DNA, and one out of seven biting midges collected was DNA-positive for L. infantum. Moreover, engorged sand flies scored positive for human and equine DNA. Data suggest that equids living in CanL endemic areas are exposed to Leishmania spp., but their role in the circulation of the parasite needs further investigations.

• MeSH
• Ceratopogonidae parasitology   MeSH
• Endemic Diseases veterinary   MeSH
• Equidae * parasitology   MeSH
• Insect Vectors * parasitology   MeSH
• Horses parasitology   MeSH
• Leishmania infantum isolation & purification   genetics   MeSH
• Leishmania * isolation & purification   genetics   classification   MeSH
• Leishmaniasis * veterinary   epidemiology   parasitology   transmission   MeSH
• Horse Diseases parasitology   epidemiology   MeSH
• Dog Diseases * parasitology   epidemiology   transmission   MeSH
• Dogs MeSH
• Psychodidae parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Dogs MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Italy epidemiology   MeSH

Leishmania, the dixenous trypanosomatid parasites, are the causative agents of leishmaniasis currently divided into four subgenera: Leishmania, Viannia, Sauroleishmania, and the recently described Mundinia, consisting of six species distributed sporadically all over the world infecting humans and/or animals. These parasites infect various mammalian species and also cause serious human diseases, but their reservoirs are unknown. Thus, adequate laboratory models are needed to enable proper research of Mundinia parasites. In this complex study, we compared experimental infections of five Mundinia species (L. enriettii, L. macropodum, L. chancei, L. orientalis, and four strains of L. martiniquensis) in three rodent species: BALB/c mouse, Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) and steppe lemming (Lagurus lagurus). Culture-derived parasites were inoculated intradermally into the ear pinnae and progress of infection was monitored for 20 weeks, when the tissues and organs of animals were screened for the presence and quantity of Leishmania. Xenodiagnoses with Phlebotomus duboscqi were performed at weeks 5, 10, 15 and 20 post-infection to test the infectiousness of the animals throughout the experiment. BALB/c mice showed no signs of infection and were not infectious to sand flies, while Chinese hamsters and steppe lemmings proved susceptible to all five species of Mundinia tested, showing a wide spectrum of disease signs ranging from asymptomatic to visceral. Mundinia induced significantly higher infection rates in steppe lemmings compared to Chinese hamsters, and consequently steppe lemmings were more infectious to sand flies: In all groups tested, they were infectious from the 5th to the 20th week post infection. In conclusion, we identified two rodent species, Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) and steppe lemming (Lagurus lagurus), as candidates for laboratory models for Mundinia allowing detailed studies of these enigmatic parasites. Furthermore, the long-term survival of all Mundinia species in steppe lemmings and their infectiousness to vectors support the hypothesis that some rodents have the potential to serve as reservoir hosts for Mundinia.

• MeSH
• Arvicolinae * parasitology   MeSH
• Cricetulus MeSH
• Cricetinae MeSH
• Leishmania * classification   MeSH
• Leishmaniasis * parasitology   MeSH
• Disease Models, Animal * MeSH
• Mice, Inbred BALB C * MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Cricetinae MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH