Isolation and in vivo behavior of the etiologic agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Italy

Tentatives of culturing in vivo and in vitro the etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Italy have in the past been carried out by several authors without, however, obtaining stable culture. The use of LHC inbred hamsters, treated with cortisone acetate, gives the possibility of isolating the parasite from human cutaneous lesions. The parasite is localized in the internal organs (spleen, liver and bone marrow) of the host, regardless of the site of inoculation. The infection is similar to that caused by Leishmania infantum from human, canine and murine visceral leishmaniasis. In the subsequent passage in vivo the parasite infects LHC inbred hamsters and outbred hamsters without cortisone acetate. Intrinsic and extrinsic characters of the agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Italy are discussed.