[leish-l] leishmaniasis outside endemic area (Germany)

[Phlebotome at aol.com]

In einer eMail vom 11.01.2003 01:31:05 (MEZ) Mitteleuropäische Zeit schreibt 
Jaclamothe at aol.com:

Hello Jac Lamothe, hello everybody,

> I have recently diagnosed a case of leishmaniasis in a Great Dane that has 
> never left the south of Germany. I am aware of at least another case in the 
> same area (Baden-Wurttemberg) and one case of autochtone equine 
> leishmaniasis has recently been published (horse from Bavaria/Bayern).

The case in question is a dog (Great Dane) of the village 
Schliengen-Obereggenen in Baden-Wurttemberg in the Rhine-valley near the 
French border (5 km). The dog never left this area. In 2001 and 2002 120 
specimen of the sandfly-species Phlebotomus mascittii were trapped in 
Baden-Wurttemberg. 90 of these P. mascittii were found in the village 
Neuenburg - inside the village! Schliengen-Obereggenen is 7 km south of 
Neuenburg. Until now, the northernmost distribution of P. mascittii in 
Germany is the village of Baden-Baden. Furthermore, in 2001 four specimen of 
P. perniciosus have been found in Gehrweiler (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany), 
north of Alsace (France). I did not place my traps by chance in Gehrweiler, 
only because also there exists a case of autochtone canine leishmaniasis, but 
this case was not diagnosed properly - poor for a publication.

Well, there is still the question, if P. mascittii is a good vector, but with 
this case, there seems not to be any doubt. I have P. mascittii in stable 
laboratory-colony, inoculation experiments will be done soon (if I find an 
adaequate laboratory !!)

The Leishmaniasis Great Dane is in bad condition, it took 1 and a half year 
for diagnosis. The final and correct diagnosis was made by Claude Favrot, 
Zurich. The dog is under Allopurinol for the moment, at the end of this month 
(January, 28) I have the possibility to get Oleyl-Phosphocholine for this 
dog. Therapy-trial will last 2 weeks.

In 2003 there will be an intensive search for sandflies in the village of 
question, and I have no doubt, that P. mascittii will be present - the locals 
are informed.

For me, it was only a question of time, when leishmaniasis will be diagnosed 
in this area, and I think, that we can soon add Germany to the list of 
leishmaniasis endemic countries. Beside this mentioned case of recently 
published (Koehler et al., 2002) equine leishmaniasis (Gablingen, Bavaria), 
from the same area a case of infantile leishmaniasis (Fussen, Bavaria) is 
published (Bogdan et al., 2001) and another 'historic' case of canine 
leishmaniasis (Landsberg, Bavaria) by Gothe, 1990.

Sincerely yours,

Torsten

Dr. Torsten J. Naucke
Vollbergstr.37
D - 53 859 Niederkassel
Tel.: 0049 (0) 2208 770 998
Mobile: 0049 (0) 172 25 17 441

Homepages:
http://www.leishmaniose.de
http://www.phlebotomus.com
http://www.parasitus.com (under construction)
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