Immune and clinical parameters associated with Leishmania infantum infection in the golden hamster model

For experimental infections with viscerotropic strains of Leishmania, a suitable animal model is not yet defined. In the present work, we have reappraised the use of golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) as an experimental model for infection with Leishmania infantum. Groups of hamsters were challenged by the intracardial route with doses ranging from 103 to 105 infectious promastigotes and the animals were monitored for 1-year follow-up period. The outcome of the infection was assessed by clinical symptoms of leishmaniasis, parasite loads in both liver and spleen, humoral response to Leishmania antigens and antibody levels in kidneys. The humoral response was analysed using either crude antigens (by ELISA and Western blotting) or several recombinant Leishmania antigens (Hsp70, Hsp83, LiP2a, LiP2b, H2A, H3 and KMP-11). From the analysis of all these parameters, we established the existence of three groups of animals: symptomatic or susceptible, oligosymptomatic, and resistant. Given the parallelism existing between the outcomes of Leishmania-infection in hamsters, dogs and humans, we believe that our data illustrate that the hamster is an excellent experimental model to study visceral leishmaniasis and for the design of vaccine development.