The protozoan Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis was first identified in a person with organ disease in the Caribbean in 2014. In addition to humans, the disease has been confirmed in horses and cattle from various regions on several continents.
In Europe, the parasite's presence coincides with that of other Leishmania species, but it also occurs in areas where the usual vectors are not found. A recently published study described four cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in horses in the Czech Republic and Austria. This study was a collaboration between several university departments in Prague, Brno and Vienna, and practising veterinarians. Our department contributed to the project by providing a serological diagnosis of leishmaniasis.
Link to the publication here.
