<i>Leishmania </i>challenge model

摘要

The present invention provides a method for effectively and reproducibly infecting canines with Leishmania infantum using sand flies to vector the parasite. The inventive method comprises several steps, including ensuring canines are naïve to Leishmania, infecting the canines using bites of Leishmania-infected sand fly bites, and evaluating successful transmission of the Leishmania parasites.

主权项

1. A method for infecting canine animals with a Leishmania parasite comprising the steps of:
a. testing the canine animals to ensure they are free of Leishmania and not previously exposed to sand fly salivary proteins (naïve); b. infecting vector sand flies with a virulent isolate of a Leishmania species obtained from a canine infected with the Leishmania species; c. transmitting the Leishmania parasite to the canines by means bites from the Leishmania-infected (b) sand flies; and d. quantifying the parasite load per fly post transmission to verify success of transmission, thereby infecting the canine animals.