HRS/J Hairless mice have been investigated as an experimental model in cutaneous leishmaniasis induced by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. The animals were inoculated with 10(6) promastigotes into the right hind footpad and the course of infection was followed up for 30, 60 and 90 days. BALB/c mice were infected and used as control. Hairless mice were susceptible to L. (L.) amazonensis infection and a progressive increase in number of parasites and footpad thickness was detected over time. Signals of dissemination and visceralization were confirmed by the presence of parasite in the draining lymph node of lesion and spleen, at different times post infection. IL-10 gene expression evaluated by RT-PCR was significantly higher in Hairless mice at 60 days post infection, corroborating the pattern of susceptibility. These results point this inbred strain as a promising susceptible model for the study of experimental infection induced by L. (L.) amazonensis. This model would allow the use of other infection sites that minimize secondary interference and best monitoring the skin lesion, as in the case of in vivo assays of potential drugs for LT.