[Ecology of a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus in the Thies region (Senegal, West Africa). 5. Spontaneous infection and disease reservoir role of various wild rodent species].

The authors describe spontaneous infection of Mastomys erythroleucus and Tatera gambiana by Leishmania strains typed as L. major. They argue the reservoir role to these two species and the one of Arvicanthis niloticus previously found infected. The possible relations between the fluctuations of rodent populations and the incidence of the human disease are then discussed.