Beyond reptiles: the fire salamander as a potential host for <i>Leishmania (Sauroleishmania) tarentolae</i>.

ABSTRACT: Leishmania parasites are dixenous protozoans transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies and known to infect a range of vertebrate hosts, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. However, to date, there is only a single record for amphibians, in a toad (order Anura), based on molecular evidence. In this study, we present the first evidence supporting the potential of Leishmania to infect an amphibian host, the fire salamander (order Urodela), through combined molecular and morphological approaches. A total of 78 salamanders were sampled from a protected area in northern Italy. Single cells morphologically similar to Leishmania were observed in 4.48 % of Giemsa-stained blood smears. Leishmania-specific qPCR coupled with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis detected p

SUBMITTER: Alvaro A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12702180 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature