Natural transmission of Leishmania infantum through experimentally infected Phlebotomus perniciosus highlights the virulence of Leishmania parasites circulating in the human visceral leishmaniasis outbreak in Madrid, Spain

Table 4 Histopathology of several POL2FL6 infected hamsters.

Tissue	H5.3	H5.4	H6.1	H6.2	H6.3	H7.1	H7.2	H7.3
Salivary glands	ND	1	0	ND	0	1	1	0
Stomach	ND	2	0	ND	0	2	2	1
Small intestine	ND	2	0	0	0	2	2	2
Large intestine	ND	1	0	0	0	1	1	1
Mesenteric ganglion	ND	3	0	0	0	3	3	3
Heart	ND	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lung	ND	1	0	0	0	1	1	1
Kidney	ND	0	1	0	0	1	1	1
Adrenal gland (cortex)	ND	2	0	0	0	1	1	1
Liver	0	3	0	0	0	3	3	3
Spleen	0	3	0	0	0	3	3	3
Pancreas	ND	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brain	ND	0	0	0	0	1	1	0
Bone marrow	ND	3	0	0	ND	ND	ND	ND
Skin	ND	1	0	0	0	ND	0	ND
Reproductive organs	ND	3	0	0	0	2	1	1

Negative control corresponds to a non infected hamster. H5.3, H5.4: Group 5, hamsters 3 and 4 (Leishmania vector-initiated infection). H6.1, H6.2, H6.3: Group 6, hamsters 1, 2 and 3 (Leishmania vector-initiated infection). H7.1, H7.2, H7.3: Group 7, hamsters 1, 2 and 3 (Leishmania intraperitoneal inoculation)
ND, not determined; 0, no amastigote detection; 1, amastigotes hardly seen in localized areas; 2, more abundant presence of amastigotes, generally associated with other lessions such as granulomes or calcium agglomerates and 3, severe Leishmania parasitation

ISSN: 1297-9716