The isolation of Leishmania donovani MON-18, from an AIDS patient in Portugal: possible needle transmission.

The spread of HIV infection into leishmaniasis endemic areas has increased the incidence of immunosupressed patients with kalaazar 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.