pathogens Review New Epidemiological Aspects of Animal Leishmaniosis in Europe: The Role of Vertebrate Hosts Other Than Dogs Luís Cardoso 1,*, Henk Schallig 2 , Maria Flaminia Persichetti 3 and Maria Grazia Pennisi 3 1 Department of Veterinary Sciences, and Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal 2 Department of Medical Microbiology, Experimental Parasitology Section, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
[email protected] 3 Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy;
[email protected] (M.F.P.);
[email protected] (M.G.P.) * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: Infection with Leishmania parasites can lead to severe disease in humans and dogs, which act as a reservoir in zoonotic transmission. An increasing number of reports suggest that leishmaniosis is not restricted to dogs, but also affects many other mammalian and avian species. Consequently, this expands the potential reservoir and is of great public and veterinary health concern. The present study reviews, based on a comprehensive search of scientific literature published from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2020, the currently available information on animal leishmaniosis in vertebrates in Europe, other than dogs and humans. This review provides an exhaustive list of mammals and birds in which infections with or exposure to Leishmania parasites have been detected in European countries. Most cases are reported from the Mediterranean region. Domestic animals, in particular Citation: Cardoso, L.; Schallig, H.; cats, pose a concern because of close contact with humans.