A new species of Leishmania parasite from the Venezuelan Andes region.

A new form of Leishmania is described from the Venezuelan Andes region. L. garnhami n.sp. is proposed for this parasite with amastigote stages showing a peculiar and unique organelle seen with light and electron microscope. It produces cutaneous lesions in people living at a height of between 800 and 1,8000 m. in urban and rural areas; the disease is associated with Lutzomyia townsendi, the main anthropophilic sandfly in the region. The parasite is easily inoculable into hamsters and grows slowly in vitro in blood-agar media with glucose, but more prolifically without glucose.