The isolation of Leishmania donovani mon-18, from an aids patient in Portugalpossible needle transmission

L'incidence des co-infections Leishmania/VIH augmente au Portugal depuis l'extension de l'infection VIH aux zones endémiques de kala-azar dans ce pays. Leishmania infantum MON-24, zymodème autochtone "dermo-trope", a déjà été isolé d'un cas de co-infection Leishmania/VIH au Portugal. Nous rapportons ici un cas similaire dû à L. donovani MON-18 chez un toxicomane portugais dont le mode de contamination pourrait s'expliquer par l'usage d'aiguilles ou de seringues contaminées. The spread of HIV infection into leishmaniasis endemic areas has increased the incidence of immunosupressed patients with kala-azar in Portugal.The dermotropic zymodeme MON-24 of Leishmania infantum has been already isolated from a Portuguese AIDS patient, as in some other Mediterranean countries.In this paper we report the isolation of L. donovani MON-18 from a drug addicted Portuguese patient with clinical visceral leishmaniasis and AIDS, that suggests a mechanically transmitted infection by the use of a shared needle or syringe.publishersversionpublishe