Rodents and cutaneous leishmaniasis in Qasim, Saudi Arabia.

The past and the present studies in Saudi Arabia show that zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is the most common and widely distributed form of leishmaniasis. The classic natural foci near human settlements exist in the Eastern Region and to less extend the Central Region. In the former region Psammomys obesus, Meriones crassus and M. libycus (?) are the animal reservoirs. In this paper, rodents were surveyed in Qasim (Central Region) to identify the reservoir host. The results showed that M. crassus is the reservoir host. Also, natural infection with Leishmania parasite was demonstrated in one M. libycus. The results were discussed on the light of the work done locally and regionally.