ANIMAL RESERVOIRS OF LEISHMANIASIS IN MARIGAT, BARINGO DISTRICT, KENYA

A total of 1128 rodents belonging to seven genera were examined for le ishmaraial parasites over 11 period of sixteen months. Parasites were isolated from 36 (12.5%) Tatera robusta, 3 (0.5%) Arvicanthis niloticu s, and 2 (0.8%) Mastomys natalensis. All isolates were characterised i bg isoenzyme analysis using nine enzymes. The enzymes examined were: m alate dehydrogenase (MDH), phosphoglucomutase (PGM), glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD), nucleoside hydrolase (NH), glucose 6-phosphate: dehydrogenase (G6PD), mannose phosphate is omerase (MPI), malic enzyme (ME) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD). The enzyme profiles from these isolates were compared w ith th ose from Leishmania reference strains and also with isolates of Leishm ania major from man and sandfly, P. duboscqci from the same area. All the isolates except one from a Mastomys were identified as L. major. T he isolate from Mastomys was trypanosome-like and remains unidentified . The results in this study show that Tatera robusta is the main reser voir of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Baringo District. None of the anima ls trapped were found infected with Leishmania donovani suggesting tha t rodents do not play a role in the transmission of visceral Leishmani asis in this area.