Leishmania infecting man and wild animals in Saudi Arabia. 9. The black rat (Rattus rattus) a probable reservoir of visceral leishmaniasis in Gizan province, south-west Saudi Arabia.

Twenty-two black rats (Rattus rattus) were captured in houses where parasitologically confirmed cases of human visceral leishmaniasis had been recorded in Al-Arda Emara, Gizan province, south-west Saudi Arabia. Four of the rats were found to be infected with Leishmania; isoenzyme characterization showed that 3 were infected with L. donovani sensu lato zymodeme LON42 and the fourth with L.