The canine is regarded as a reservoir host for human visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean regions. Ten golden jackals were captured from villages that belong to Basrah province, south of Iraq. The animals were inoculated experimentally with human case Leishmania donovani promastigotes, and then the jackals were diagnosed parasitological and serological by two serological tests rk39 and DAT. The different diagnosis and dissemination of the parasites to internal organs were followed up to 16 weeks. Leishmania parasites were found in visceral organs: liver, spleen, popliteal lymph node, kidney and lung, both serological tests for the detection of specific antileishmanial antibodies showed positive results in the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Jackals experimentally infected with Leishmania donovani. This study confirmed that the golden jackals may play an important role in the transmission of leishmaniasis.

Key words: Canine visceral leishmaniasis, Jackals, Leishmania donovani, Pattren of dissemination