82 MANUAL OF HUMAN PROTOZOA 



from L. donovani, but some believe that it shows a wider 

 range of form and size than the latter. In addition to 

 rounded or ovoid forms, elongate forms are often found, 

 and even leptomonad forms have been reported from the 

 scrapings of lesions. This organism is also transmitted by 

 sandflies (p. 79). 



For detection of the organism, smears should be made 

 from the lesions. If the lesion is not ulcerated, the fluid 

 taken from it by puncture may be examined in stained 

 smears for the intracellular parasites. If the lesion is ulcer- 

 ated, material should be obtained by puncturing the 

 margin of the ulcer, as the superficial part of the ulcer 

 itself contains pus cells, bacteria, and abnormal forms of 

 Leishmania. In case the parasites are very scanty, culti- 

 vation in blood-agar may aid the detection of the organism. 



3. Leishmania hrasiUensis Vianna 1911 



This causes Espundia or South American or naso-oral 

 leishmaniasis, which seems to be confined to South and 

 Central America. It has been reported from Brazil, Peru, 

 Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecua- 

 dor, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico. 



Its morphological characteristics are identical with those 

 of L. tropica, and a number of investigators combine the 

 two species into one. However, the lesions are mainly in 

 the mucous membrane of the nasal passage, mouth, and 

 other parts. Transmission is also probably carried on by 

 sandflies as is the case with the other two species. 



For detecting the organism use the method given for 

 L. tropica. 



