Molecular and Serological Detection of <i>Leishmania</i> spp. in Mediterranean Wild Carnivores and Feral Cats: Implications for Wildlife Health and One Health Surveillance.

ABSTRACT: Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies. While domestic dogs are the main hosts in the Mediterranean basin, wild carnivores have also been proposed as potential reservoirs. This study assessed the presence of Leishmania spp. in 250 animals from the Valencian Community, eastern Spain-an endemic region-using TaqMan qPCR on spleen samples from 216 wild carnivores and sera from 34 feral cats, and ELISA serology on 174 wild carnivores. DNA of Leishmania spp. was detected in 14 out of 250 individuals (5.6%), with red foxes representing most positive cases (10/102; 9.8%). Seropositivity was observed only in red foxes, with 5 out of 174 individuals testing positive (2.9%). Most qPCR-positi

SUBMITTER: Suita F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12466643 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature