婴儿利什曼原虫是西地中海国家的犬利什曼病的病原体。以往该病的患者一般仅限于儿童,但近来发现成人艾滋病病毒携带者患该病的人数在增加。由于缺乏可靠的前鞭毛体感染巨噬细胞的体外模型,阻碍了婴儿利什曼原虫感染的免疫学和化疗方面的研究。 Leishmania infantum is the causative agent of canine leishmaniasis in Western Mediterranean countries. In the past, the disease was generally limited to children, but more recently adults living with HIV have been found to have the disease. In vitro and in vivo models that infect macrophages due to lack of reliable promastigotes hampered the immunological and chemotherapeutic aspects of Leishmanii infantum infection.