Natural Leishmania infection in rock hyrax, Procavia capensis (Pallas, 1766) order: Hyracoidea, trapped in Najran, Saudi Arabia.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major (zoonotic, ZCL) and L. tropica (anthroponotic, ACL) is found in most countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Phlebotomus papatasii is the proven vector of L. major and rodents Rhombomys opimus, Psammomys obesus, Meriones spp. and Gerbillus spp. serve as animal reservoirs. Ph. sergenti is the vector of L. tropica in the majority of endemic foci. On the other hand; in the Eastern African highlands (mainly Ethiopia and Kenya), stable foci of L. aethiopica are maintanined by hyraxes and transmitted by Ph. longipes and Ph. pedifer. In this paper, natural Leishmania sp. infection was demonstrated serologically (IHAT) and parasitologically (smear examination) in two out of four rock hyraxes trapped in the highlands of Najran, southern part of the Kingdom. It is concluded that the identity of the Leishmania parasite(s)in such a focus is essential since it has implication in control and treatment. Also, passive case-detection and isolates from man and sandfly in the vicinity of Najran for typing is a must.