Molecular investigation of vector-borne parasites in wild micromammals, Barcelona (Spain).
Information about the role of micromammals in the epidemiology of Leishmania infantum and Babesia sp. in southern Europe is scarce. Wild micromammals were captured in natural areas in the Barcelona province (NE Spain) in 2011 and analysed by real-time PCR for the presence of DNA of Piroplasmida (n = 253) and Leishmania infantum (n = 166). The wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) was the most abundant species, but all specimens tested negative for L. infantum, for which two out of 15 (13.3%) white-toothed shrews (Crocidura russula) and one out of 23 (4.3%) Algerian mice (Mus spretus) resulted positive. No individual was positive for Piroplasmida DNA. The role of wild micromammals in the epidemiology of these parasites in the study area seems negligible.
['Millán|Javier|J|http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5608-781X']
D000818:Animals D001403:Babesia D001404:Babesiosis D016054:DNA, Protozoan D004199:Disease Vectors D018314:Leishmania infantum D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral D051379:Mice D051189:Murinae D010271:Parasites D012788:Shrews D013030:Spain
Babesia Catalonia Insectivora Kinetoplastida Rat Rodent