We detected Leishmania infantum in 98 Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) trapped in parks and sewers of Barcelona, Spain. The 84 rats from the sewers showed a prevalence of 33.3% and up to 2,272 estimated parasites. These results, in the most abundant potential reservoir in cities, is of public health concern.
Keywords: Barcelona; Leishmania infantum; Rattus norvegicus; Spain; leishmaniasis; parasites; reservoir; sewage system.