Leishmania braziliensis in the Panamanian two-toed sloth, Choloepus hoffmanni
Herrer, A.; Christensen, H.A.
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 29(6): 1196-1200
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9637 PMID: 7446811 Document Number: 154815
Two-toed sloths, C. hoffmanni, collected in central Panama were examined for L. braziliensis over 10 yr. Isolations of the parasite from 96 (19.3%) of the 498 animals were confirmed by culture and inoculation of golden hamsters. Improved culture techniques developed toward the end of the study assisted in determining a greater prevalence of the disease. Infections were completely cryptic in all animals and the parasite was isolated from skin, blood, liver, spleen, bone marrow and lung tissues. Sloths maintained under seminatural conditions remained infected up to 23 mo., the longest period of survival. This edentate, considered the principal reservoir host of L. braziliensis in Panama, showed infection rates from 0-59.4% in various communities, which appeared to correlate with the parasite prevalence in the indigenous human populations.