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Amaro F, Vilares A, Martins S, Reis T, Osório HC, Alves MJ, Gargaté MJ. Co-Circulation of Leishmania Parasites and Phleboviruses in a Population of Sand Flies Collected in the South of Portugal. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 9:3. [PMID: 38276633 PMCID: PMC10821132 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
In the Old World, phlebotomine sand flies from the genus Phlebotomus are implicated in the transmission of Leishmania spp. parasites (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) and viruses belonging to the genus Phlebovirus (Bunyavirales: Phenuiviridae). Two of the five sand fly species known to occur in Portugal, Phlebotomus perniciosus and Ph. ariasi, the former being the most ubiquitous, are recognized vectors of Leishmania infantum, which causes visceral leishmaniasis, the most prevalent form of leishmaniasis in the country. Phlebotomus perniciosus is also the vector of the neurotropic Toscana virus, which can cause aseptic meningitis. Entomological surveillance is essential to provide fundamental data about the presence of vectors and the pathogens they can carry. As such, and given the lack of data in Portugal, an entomological survey took place in the Algarve, the southernmost region of the country, from May to October 2018. Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed in order to detect the presence of the above-mentioned pathogens in sand fly pools. Not only were both Leishmania parasites and phleboviruses detected during this study, but more importantly, it was the first time their co-circulation was verified in the same sand fly population collected in Portugal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fátima Amaro
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, No. 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (H.C.O.); (M.J.A.)
- Environment and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Environmental Health Institute, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Centre for Animal Science Studies (CECA), University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - Anabela Vilares
- National Reference Laboratory of Parasitic and Fungal Infections, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.V.); (S.M.); (T.R.); (M.J.G.)
| | - Susana Martins
- National Reference Laboratory of Parasitic and Fungal Infections, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.V.); (S.M.); (T.R.); (M.J.G.)
| | - Tânia Reis
- National Reference Laboratory of Parasitic and Fungal Infections, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.V.); (S.M.); (T.R.); (M.J.G.)
| | - Hugo Costa Osório
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, No. 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (H.C.O.); (M.J.A.)
- Environment and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Environmental Health Institute, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria João Alves
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, No. 5, 2965-575 Águas de Moura, Portugal; (H.C.O.); (M.J.A.)
- Environment and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Environmental Health Institute, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
- Centre for Animal Science Studies (CECA), University of Porto, 4050-453 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria João Gargaté
- National Reference Laboratory of Parasitic and Fungal Infections, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (A.V.); (S.M.); (T.R.); (M.J.G.)
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Taddei R, Bregoli A, Galletti G, Carra E, Fiorentini L, Fontana MC, Frasnelli M, Musto C, Pupillo G, Reggiani A, Santi A, Rossi A, Tamba M, Calzolari M, Rugna G. Wildlife Hosts of Leishmania infantum in a Re-Emerging Focus of Human Leishmaniasis, in Emilia-Romagna, Northeast Italy. Pathogens 2022; 11:1308. [PMID: 36365059 PMCID: PMC9697138 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, an upsurge of human leishmaniasis has been reported in the Emilia-Romagna region, Northeast Italy. Epidemiologic data have raised doubts about the role of dogs as the main reservoirs for Leishmania infantum. In the present study, a total of 1,077 wild animals were screened for L. infantum DNA in earlobe and spleen samples from 2019 to 2022. The lymph nodes were tested only in 23 animals already positive in the earlobe and/or spleen. A total of 71 (6.6%) animals resulted positive in at least one of the sampled tissues, including 3/18 (16.7%) wolves, 6/39 (15.4%) European hares, 38/309 (12.3%) roe deer, 1/11 (9.1%) red deer, 8/146 (4.9%) wild boars, 13/319 (4.1%) red foxes, 1/54 (1.9%) porcupine, and 1/59 (1.7%) European badger. Most of the infected animals (62/71) tested positive only in the earlobe tissue, only four animals (two roe deer and two wild boars) tested positive only in the spleen, and five animals (three roe deer and two red foxes) resulted positive for both tissues. L. infantum DNA was detected in the lymph nodes of 6/23 animals. L. infantum detection occurred in all seasons associated with low real-time PCR Ct values. Further research is needed in order to clarify the role of wildlife in the re-emerging focus of leishmaniasis in Northeast Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Taddei
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Arianna Bregoli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Galletti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena Carra
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Fiorentini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Fontana
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Matteo Frasnelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Carmela Musto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pupillo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Reggiani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Annalisa Santi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Arianna Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Tamba
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Mattia Calzolari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
| | - Gianluca Rugna
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy
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Leishmania and the Model of Predominant Clonal Evolution. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112409. [PMID: 34835534 PMCID: PMC8620605 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
As it is the case for other pathogenic microorganisms, the respective impact of clonality and genetic exchange on Leishmania natural populations has been the object of lively debates since the early 1980s. The predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model states that genetic exchange in these parasites’ natural populations may have a high relevance on an evolutionary scale, but is not sufficient to erase a persistent phylogenetic signal and the existence of bifurcating trees. Recent data based on high-resolution markers and genomic polymorphisms fully confirm the PCE model down to a microevolutionary level.
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Pereira A, Parreira R, Cristóvão JM, Vitale F, Bastien P, Campino L, Maia C. Leishmania infantum strains from cats are similar in biological properties to canine and human strains. Vet Parasitol 2021; 298:109531. [PMID: 34293586 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis is a worldwide severe disease caused by Leishmania infantum, a protozoan that has phlebotomine sand flies as vectors and dogs as primary reservoir hosts. Over the last few decades, cats have been regarded as an indisputable piece within the ecological system in which L. infantum is maintained indefinitely. However, little is known about feline strains, including their phenotypic plasticity and infectivity. In this study, the phenotypic behaviour of seven L. infantum feline strains was compared to those of well-characterised counterparts isolated from two dogs and two humans in terms of growth profile, adaptive capacity under several stress conditions, susceptibility to antileishmanial drugs, and infectivity to host cells. Feline strains displayed a similar growth profile, survival capacity, and ability to infect feline, canine, and human monocyte-derived primary macrophages. Furthermore, multivariate cluster analysis suggested that most strains studied did not display distinctive phenotypic features. To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyse the phenotypic behaviour of feline L. infantum strains. This study brings new insights into the hypothetical role of cats as reservoir hosts of L. infantum since the parasites found in them are phenotypically identical to those of dogs and humans. However, further studies on the transmission dynamics should be encouraged to fully establish the status of cats in the maintenance of L. infantum foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Pereira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Parreira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Manuel Cristóvão
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fabrizio Vitale
- OIE Leishmaniasis Reference Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Patrick Bastien
- University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Research Unit "MIVEGEC", Centre National de Reference pour les Leishmanioses, Academic Hospital (C.H.U.) of Montpellier, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Lenea Campino
- Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Kuhls K, Moskalenko O, Sukiasyan A, Manukyan D, Melik-Andreasyan G, Atshemyan L, Apresyan H, Strelkova M, Jaeschke A, Wieland R, Frohme M, Cortes S, Keshishyan A. Microsatellite based molecular epidemiology of Leishmania infantum from re-emerging foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Armenia and pilot risk assessment by ecological niche modeling. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009288. [PMID: 33872307 PMCID: PMC8055006 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is re-emerging in Armenia since 1999 with 167 cases recorded until 2019. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine for the first time the genetic diversity and population structure of the causative agent of VL in Armenia; (ii) to compare these genotypes with those from most endemic regions worldwide; (iii) to monitor the diversity of vectors in Armenia; (iv) to predict the distribution of the vectors and VL in time and space by ecological niche modeling. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Human samples from different parts of Armenia previously identified by ITS-1-RFLP as L. infantum were studied by Multilocus Microsatellite Typing (MLMT). These data were combined with previously typed L. infantum strains from the main global endemic regions for population structure analysis. Within the 23 Armenian L. infantum strains 22 different genotypes were identified. The combined analysis revealed that all strains belong to the worldwide predominating MON1-population, however most closely related to a subpopulation from Southeastern Europe, Maghreb, Middle East and Central Asia. The three observed Armenian clusters grouped within this subpopulation with strains from Greece/Turkey, and from Central Asia, respectively. Ecological niche modeling based on VL cases and collected proven vectors (P. balcanicus, P. kandelakii) identified Yerevan and districts Lori, Tavush, Syunik, Armavir, Ararat bordering Georgia, Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan as most suitable for the vectors and with the highest risk for VL transmission. Due to climate change the suitable habitat for VL transmission will expand in future all over Armenia. CONCLUSIONS Genetic diversity and population structure of the causative agent of VL in Armenia were addressed for the first time. Further genotyping studies should be performed with samples from infected humans, animals and sand flies from all active foci including the neighboring countries to understand transmission cycles, re-emergence, spread, and epidemiology of VL in Armenia and the entire Transcaucasus enabling epidemiological monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Kuhls
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
- Research Platform Data Analysis & Simulation, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Olga Moskalenko
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
| | - Anna Sukiasyan
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
- Research Institute of Epidemiology, Virology and Medical Parasitology after A.B. Alexanyan, Ministry of Health, Yerevan, Armenia
- Eurasia International University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Dezdemonia Manukyan
- Research Institute of Epidemiology, Virology and Medical Parasitology after A.B. Alexanyan, Ministry of Health, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Gayane Melik-Andreasyan
- Research Institute of Epidemiology, Virology and Medical Parasitology after A.B. Alexanyan, Ministry of Health, Yerevan, Armenia
- National Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Health,Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Liana Atshemyan
- Research Institute of Epidemiology, Virology and Medical Parasitology after A.B. Alexanyan, Ministry of Health, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Hripsime Apresyan
- Yerevan State Medical University after Mkitar Herats, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Margarita Strelkova
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-borne Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anja Jaeschke
- Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Ralf Wieland
- Research Platform Data Analysis & Simulation, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Marcus Frohme
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
| | - Sofia Cortes
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
- Global Health & Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ara Keshishyan
- Research Institute of Epidemiology, Virology and Medical Parasitology after A.B. Alexanyan, Ministry of Health, Yerevan, Armenia
- National Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Health,Yerevan, Armenia
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Costa-Val APD, Coura FM, Barbieri JDM, Diniz L, Sampaio A, Reis JKPD, Bueno BL, Gontijo CMF. Serological study of feline leishmaniasis and molecular detection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis in cats (Felis catus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 29:e003520. [PMID: 32520088 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612020023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Blood samples and swabs from ocular conjunctiva and mouth were obtained from 64 cats. Of 64 serum samples, 19 were positive for Leishmania antibodies by ELISA (29.80%). Eight cats were positive by PCR (12.5%) in swab samples from mouth and/or ocular mucosa. Poor kappa agreement between serological and molecular results (k = 0.16) was obtained. From five positive PCR samples one was L. braziliensis and four were L. infantum. Phylogenetic analysis performed with the five isolates of Leishmania, showed that samples of L. infantum isolated from the cats were phylogenetically close to those isolated from domestic dogs in Brazil, while the L. braziliensis is very similar to the one described in humans in Venezuela. The study demonstrated that, despite high seropositivity for Leishmania in cats living in the study region, poor agreement between serological and molecular results indicate that positive serology is not indicative of Leishmania infection in cats. Parasite DNA can be detected in ocular conjunctiva and oral swabs from cats, indicating that such samples could be used for diagnosis. Results of phylogenetic analyzes show that L. infantum circulating in Brazil is capable of infecting different hosts, demonstrating the parasite's ability to overcome the interspecies barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriane Pimenta da Costa-Val
- Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinárias, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Fernanda Morcatti Coura
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Instituto Federal de Minas Gerais - IFMG, Campus Bambuí, Bambuí, MG, Brasil
| | - Jonata de Melo Barbieri
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Luiza Diniz
- Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinárias, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Agnes Sampaio
- Instituto Rene Rachou, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Jenner Karlisson Pimenta Dos Reis
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Bruna Lopes Bueno
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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Pereira A, Parreira R, Cristóvão JM, Castelli G, Bruno F, Vitale F, Campino L, Maia C. Phylogenetic insights on Leishmania detected in cats as revealed by nucleotide sequence analysis of multiple genetic markers. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 77:104069. [PMID: 31670155 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cats have been found infected by the same Leishmania species that also infect dogs and humans in both the New and Old Worlds, and their role as additional reservoir hosts of L. infantum has been previously suggested. Currently, the genetic diversity of Leishmania spp. detected in cats is poorly understood. In this cross-sectional study, the partial nucleotide sequences of four gene markers (cytB, g6pdh, hsp70 and ITS-rDNA) were explored to investigate the genetic diversity and the phylogenetic relationships of Leishmania parasites detected in cats. A total of 25 cat buffy coat samples where the presence of Leishmania SSU-rDNA was revealed by PCR (from a convenience sample of 465 cats screened), as well as six Leishmania strains previously isolated from cats, were included in this study. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the majority of Leishmania parasites detected in cats did not display distinctive genetic features, sharing the same genetic types with L. infantum strains isolated from humans, dogs and phlebotomine sand flies. Unexpectedly, DNA of L. major and/or of a L. major/L. donovani sensu lato hybrid was detected in buffy coat samples of two cats from different regions of Portugal. However, a mix infection hypothesis cannot be formally excluded. To our knowledge, this study represents the first evidence for the presence of DNA of Leishmania hybrid parasites in cats. The results reported here not only reinforce the idea that cats play a role in the epidemiology of zoonotic leishmaniosis but also indicate the circulation of L. major and/or L. major/L. donovani s.l. hybrid parasites in Portugal. Also, whenever sequencing of whole Leishmania genomes regularly cannot be accomplished, and while their complete genomes remain under-represented in the nucleotide sequence databases, the combined use of multiple genetic markers, including kinetoplast maxicircle DNA, seems to be essential for typing of Leishmania parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Pereira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Parreira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Microbiology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Manuel Cristóvão
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Germano Castelli
- OIE Leishmaniasis Reference laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, 90129 Palermo, Italy
| | - Federica Bruno
- OIE Leishmaniasis Reference laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, 90129 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vitale
- OIE Leishmaniasis Reference laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, 90129 Palermo, Italy
| | - Lenea Campino
- Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHMT), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal; Medical Parasitology Unit, IHMT/NOVA, 1349-008 Lisbon, Portugal.
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Ceccarelli M, Diotallevi A, Andreoni F, Vitale F, Galluzzi L, Magnani M. Exploiting genetic polymorphisms in metabolic enzymes for rapid screening of Leishmania infantum genotypes. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:572. [PMID: 30382928 PMCID: PMC6211443 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3143-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmania infantum is the aetiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Numerous strains and/or zymodemes have been identified and characterized by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE). MLEE is considered the reference method for L. infantum parasite typing and it is based upon enzyme electrophoretic mobility analysis from promastigote cultures. However, the MLEE technique is cumbersome, time-consuming and does not detect silent genetic mutations or nucleotide changes that give rise to amino acid changes that do not alter electrophoretic mobility. As a result of these difficulties, many DNA-based typing methods have been developed over the past few years. However, relative to the enzymes utilized in MLEE analysis, we observed a shortage of DNA sequences available in the GenBank database or an absolute lack of sequences belonging to specific zymodemes. The aims of the present study were to (i) implement the number of sequences coding for metabolic enzymes used in MLEE; (ii) identify polymorphisms that characterize L. infantum zymodemes most prevalent in the Mediterranean basin; and (iii) exploit these polymorphisms to develop a rapid screening test that would give results comparable with existing MLEE typing. Results Partial sequences of seven metabolic enzyme genes (malic enzyme, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase and mannose phosphate isomerase) were obtained from 11 L. infantum strains. The comparison of these sequences with those obtained from GenBank allowed for the identification of a few polymorphisms that could distinguish several zymodemes. In particular, the polymorphism 390T>G in the malic enzyme gene has been exploited to develop a high-resolution melt (HRM)-based assay to rapidly differentiate the genotype 390T, associated with zymodemes MON-1, MON-72 and MON-201, evidencing a partial agreement between genotyping results and MLEE. The assay has been successfully applied to L. infantum clinical isolates and clinical samples. Conclusions A HRM-based assay for rapid identification of genotypes associated with the most common L. infantum zymodemes in the Mediterranean basin has been developed and its potential application in epidemiological research for L. infantum population screening, without parasite isolation and culturing, has been demonstrated. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3143-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Ceccarelli
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, PU, Italy
| | - Aurora Diotallevi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, PU, Italy
| | - Francesca Andreoni
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, PU, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vitale
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Sicily "A Mirri", Palermo, PA, Italy
| | - Luca Galluzzi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, PU, Italy.
| | - Mauro Magnani
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, PU, Italy
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Rugna G, Carra E, Bergamini F, Calzolari M, Salvatore D, Corpus F, Gennari W, Baldelli R, Fabbi M, Natalini S, Vitale F, Varani S, Merialdi G. Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) reveals host-related population structure in Leishmania infantum from northeastern Italy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006595. [PMID: 29975697 PMCID: PMC6057669 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is an ongoing health problem in southern Europe, where dogs are considered the main reservoirs of the disease. Current data point to a northward spread of VL and canine leishmaniasis (CanL) in Italy, with new foci in northern regions previously regarded as non-endemic. Methodology/Principal findings Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) was performed to investigate genetic diversity and population structure of L. infantum on 55 samples from infected humans, dogs and sand flies of the E-R region between 2013 and 2017. E-R samples were compared with 10 L. infantum samples from VL cases in other Italian regions (extra E-R) and with 52 strains within the L. donovani complex. Data displayed significant microsatellite polymorphisms with low allelic heterozygosity. Forty-one unique and eight repeated MLMT profiles were recognized among the L. infantum samples from E-R, and ten unique MLMT profiles were assigned to the extra E-R samples. Bayesian analysis assigned E-R samples to two distinct populations, with further sub-structuring within each of them; all CanL samples belonged to one population, genetically related to Mediterranean MON-1 strains, while all but one VL cases as well as the isolate from the sand fly Phlebotomus perfiliewi fell under the second population. Conversely, VL samples from other Italian regions proved to be genetically similar to strains circulating in dogs. Conclusions/Significance A peculiar epidemiological situation was observed in northeastern Italy, with the co-circulation of two distinct populations of L. infantum; one population mainly detected in dogs and the other population detected in humans and in a sand fly. While the classical cycle of CanL in Italy fits well into the data obtained for the first population, the population found in infected humans exhibits a different cycle, probably not involving a canine reservoir. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the population structure of L. infantum circulating in northeastern Italy, thus providing useful epidemiologic information for public health authorities. Visceral leishmaniasis is a sand fly-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Leishmania infantum is the only parasitic species circulating in Italy and dogs are considered the main reservoirs of the disease. In this study, 55 L. infantum strains obtained from humans, dogs and sand flies from the Emiliana-Romagna (E-R) region, northeastern Italy, were assessed using multilocus microsatellite typing, a tool applied for population genetic studies. Results were compared with those obtained from 10 samples of visceral leishmaniasis cases occurring in other Italian regions and with 52 strains of the L. donovani complex from other foci of leishmaniasis. Our genetic analysis revealed that canine and human L. infantum strains from the E-R region were separated in two distinct populations; all samples obtained from dogs belonged to one population, while all but one human samples as well as a sand fly sample fell under another population. Samples from patients with visceral leishmaniasis from other Italian regions proved to be genetically similar to strains circulating in dogs. Our findings raise questions on the role of dogs as main reservoirs for human visceral leishmaniasis in the investigated area of northeastern Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Rugna
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Elena Carra
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Federica Bergamini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mattia Calzolari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Daniela Salvatore
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | - Francesco Corpus
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - William Gennari
- Dipartimento Integrati Interaziendali Medicina di Laboratorio e Anatomia Patologica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Policlinico di Modena, Italy
| | - Raffaella Baldelli
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | - Massimo Fabbi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Silvano Natalini
- Department of Animal Health, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vitale
- National Reference Center for Leishmaniasis (C.Re.Na.L.), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefania Varani
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), St. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merialdi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
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Zackay A, Cotton JA, Sanders M, Hailu A, Nasereddin A, Warburg A, Jaffe CL. Genome wide comparison of Ethiopian Leishmania donovani strains reveals differences potentially related to parasite survival. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007133. [PMID: 29315303 PMCID: PMC5777657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania donovani is the main cause of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in East Africa. Differences between northern Ethiopia/Sudan (NE) and southern Ethiopia (SE) in ecology, vectors, and patient sensitivity to drug treatment have been described, however the relationship between differences in parasite genotype between these two foci and phenotype is unknown. Whole genomic sequencing (WGS) was carried out for 41 L. donovani strains and clones from VL and VL/HIV co-infected patients in NE (n = 28) and SE (n = 13). Chromosome aneuploidy was observed in all parasites examined with each isolate exhibiting a unique karyotype. Differences in chromosome ploidy or karyotype were not correlated with the geographic origin of the parasites. However, correlation between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and geographic origin was seen for 38/41 isolates, separating the NE and SE parasites into two large groups. SNP restricted to NE and SE groups were associated with genes involved in viability and parasite resistance to drugs. Unique copy number variation (CNV) were also associated with NE and SE parasites, respectively. One striking example is the folate transporter (FT) family genes (LdBPK_100390, LdBPK_100400 and LdBPK_100410) on chromosome 10 that are single copy in all 13 SE isolates, but either double copy or higher in 39/41 NE isolates (copy number 2-4). High copy number (= 4) was also found for one Sudanese strain examined. This was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction for LdBPK_100400, the L. donovani FT1 transporter homolog. Good correlation (p = 0.005) between FT copy number and resistance to methotrexate (0.5 mg/ml MTX) was also observed with the haploid SE strains examined showing higher viability than the NE strains at this concentration. Our results emphasize the advantages of whole genome analysis to shed light on vital parasite processes in Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie Zackay
- Dept Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - James A. Cotton
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Mandy Sanders
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Asrat Hailu
- Dept Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Abedelmajeed Nasereddin
- Dept Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Alon Warburg
- Dept Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Charles L. Jaffe
- Dept Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, IMRIC, Hebrew University–Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
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11
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Pomares C, Marty P, Bañuls AL, Lemichez E, Pratlong F, Faucher B, Jeddi F, Moore S, Michel G, Aluru S, Piarroux R, Hide M. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Leishmania infantum from Southeastern France: Evaluation Using Multi-Locus Microsatellite Typing. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004303. [PMID: 26808522 PMCID: PMC4726517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In the south of France, Leishmania infantum is responsible for numerous cases of canine leishmaniasis (CanL), sporadic cases of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and rare cases of cutaneous and muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL and MCL, respectively). Several endemic areas have been clearly identified in the south of France including the Pyrénées-Orientales, Cévennes (CE), Provence (P), Alpes-Maritimes (AM) and Corsica (CO). Within these endemic areas, the two cities of Nice (AM) and Marseille (P), which are located 150 km apart, and their surroundings, concentrate the greatest number of French autochthonous leishmaniasis cases. In this study, 270 L. infantum isolates from an extended time period (1978–2011) from four endemic areas, AM, P, CE and CO, were assessed using Multi-Locus Microsatellite Typing (MLMT). MLMT revealed a total of 121 different genotypes with 91 unique genotypes and 30 repeated genotypes. Substantial genetic diversity was found with a strong genetic differentiation between the Leishmania populations from AM and P. However, exchanges were observed between these two endemic areas in which it seems that strains spread from AM to P. The genetic differentiations in these areas suggest strong epidemiological structuring. A model-based analysis using STRUCTURE revealed two main populations: population A (consisting of samples primarily from the P and AM endemic areas with MON-1 and non-MON-1 strains) and population B consisting of only MON-1 strains essentially from the AM endemic area. For four patients, we observed several isolates from different biological samples which provided insight into disease relapse and re-infection. These findings shed light on the transmission dynamics of parasites in humans. However, further data are required to confirm this hypothesis based on a limited sample set. This study represents the most extensive population analysis of L. infantum strains using MLMT conducted in France. In the south of France, the parasite Leishmania infantum is responsible for diseases that primarily affect dogs but can also impact humans. Several endemic areas have been clearly identified in the south of France including the Pyrénées-Orientales, Cévennes (CE), Provence (P), Alpes-Maritimes (AM) and Corsica (CO). In this study, 270 L. infantum isolates from four endemic areas, AM, P, CE and CO, were assessed using Multi-Locus Microsatellite Typing (MLMT), a tool applied for population genetic studies. MLMT revealed a strong genetic differentiation between the Leishmania populations from AM and P with exchanges observed between these two endemic areas. For four patients, the occurrence of disease relapses and re-infections was examined. These findings shed light on the transmission dynamics of parasites in humans. This study represents the most extensive population analysis of L. infantum isolates using MLMT conducted in France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Pomares
- INSERM, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, C3M, Toxines Microbiennes dans la Relation Hôte–Pathogènes, Nice, France
- Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, Nice, France
- Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire l’Archet, CS 23079 06202, Nice, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Pierre Marty
- INSERM, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, C3M, Toxines Microbiennes dans la Relation Hôte–Pathogènes, Nice, France
- Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté de Médecine, Nice, France
- Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire l’Archet, CS 23079 06202, Nice, France
| | - Anne Laure Bañuls
- UMR MIVEGEC IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Lemichez
- INSERM, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, C3M, Toxines Microbiennes dans la Relation Hôte–Pathogènes, Nice, France
| | - Francine Pratlong
- UMR MIVEGEC IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Département de Parasitologie–Mycologie, CHRU de Montpellier, Centre National de Référence des Leishmanioses, Montpellier, France
| | - Benoît Faucher
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses, CHU Hôpital Nord, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Fakhri Jeddi
- Aix-Marseille Université, UMR MD3, Marseille, France
| | - Sandy Moore
- Aix-Marseille Université, UMR MD3, Marseille, France
| | - Grégory Michel
- INSERM, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, C3M, Toxines Microbiennes dans la Relation Hôte–Pathogènes, Nice, France
| | - Srikanth Aluru
- INSERM, U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, C3M, Toxines Microbiennes dans la Relation Hôte–Pathogènes, Nice, France
- Aix–Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | | | - Mallorie Hide
- UMR MIVEGEC IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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12
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New Approaches to Systematics of Trypanosomatidae: Criteria for Taxonomic (Re)description. Trends Parasitol 2015; 31:460-469. [PMID: 26433249 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
While dixenous trypanosomatids represent one of the most dangerous pathogens for humans and domestic animals, their monoxenous relatives have frequently become model organisms for studies of diversity of parasitic protists and host-parasite associations. Yet, the classification of the family Trypanosomatidae is not finalized and often confusing. Here we attempt to make a blueprint for future studies in this field. We would like to elicit a discussion about an updated procedure, as traditional taxonomy was not primarily designed to be used for protists, nor can molecular phylogenetics solve all the problems alone. The current status, specific cases, and examples of generalized solutions are presented under conditions where practicality is openly favored over rigid taxonomic codes or blind phylogenetic approach.
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13
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Marques F, Vale-Costa S, Cruz T, Marques JM, Silva T, Neves JV, Cortes S, Fernandes A, Rocha E, Appelberg R, Rodrigues P, Tomás AM, Gomes MS. Studies in the mouse model identify strain variability as a major determinant of disease outcome in Leishmania infantum infection. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:644. [PMID: 26684322 PMCID: PMC4684599 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral leishmaniasis is a severe and potentially fatal disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies. In Europe and the Mediterranean region, L. infantum is the commonest agent of visceral leishmaniasis, causing a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including asymptomatic carriage, cutaneous lesions and severe visceral disease. Visceral leishmaniasis is more frequent in immunocompromised individuals and data obtained in experimental models of infection have highlighted the importance of the host immune response, namely the efficient activation of host’s macrophages, in determining infection outcome. Conversely, few studies have addressed a possible contribution of parasite variability to this outcome. Methods In this study, we compared three isolates of L. infantum regarding their capacity to grow in the organs of mice, the way they activate the host’s macrophages and other components of the immune response and also their capacity to cope with host’s antimicrobial mechanisms, namely reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Results We found that the three parasite strains significantly differed regarding the degree to which they induced nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) and arginase expression in infected macrophages and the pattern of cytokine production they induced in the host, resulting in different degrees of inflammatory response in infected livers. Additionally, the three strains also significantly differed in their in vitro susceptibility to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. This variability was reflected in the capacity of each strain to persist and proliferate in the organs of wild-type as well as NOS2- and phagocyte oxidase- deficient mice. Conclusions The results obtained in this study show that parasite strain variability is an important determinant of disease outcome in L. infantum visceral leishmaniasis, with relevant implications for studies on host-pathogen interaction and also for leishmanicidal drug development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-015-1259-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Marques
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sílvia Vale-Costa
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal. .,Present address: Cell Biology of Viral Infection Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
| | - Tânia Cruz
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Joana Moreira Marques
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Tânia Silva
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, and ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - João Vilares Neves
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde and IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sofia Cortes
- GHTM, Global Health and Tropical Medicine, IHMT, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. .,Present Address: Molekularbiologie und Funktionelle Genomik, Technische Hochschule Wildau, Wildau, Germany.
| | - Ana Fernandes
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Eduardo Rocha
- ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, and CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Rui Appelberg
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, and ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Pedro Rodrigues
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, and ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ana M Tomás
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, and ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Maria Salomé Gomes
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, and ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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14
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Tomás-Pérez M, Hide M, Riera C, Montoya L, Bañuls AL, Ribera E, Portús M, Fisa R. Multilocus microsatellite typing of Leishmania infantum isolates in monitored Leishmania/HIV coinfected patients. Parasit Vectors 2015. [PMID: 26198004 PMCID: PMC4511019 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0989-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmania infantum is the main etiological agent of both visceral and cutaneous clinical forms of leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean area. Leishmania/HIV coinfection in this area is characterized by a chronic course and frequent recurrences of clinical episodes. The present study using Multilocus Microsatellite Typing (MLMT) analysis, a highly discriminative tool, aimed to genetically characterize L. infantum isolates taken from monitored Leishmania/HIV coinfected patients presenting successive clinical episodes. Methods In this study, by the analysis of 20 microsatellite loci, we studied the MLMT profiles of 25 L. infantum isolates from 8 Leishmania/HIV coinfected patients who had experienced several clinical episodes. Two to seven isolates per patient were taken before and after treatment, during clinical and non-clinical episodes, with time intervals of 6 days to 29 months. Genetic diversity, clustering and phenetic analyses were performed. Results MLMT enabled us to study the genetic characteristics of the 25 L. infantum isolates, differentiating 18 genotypes, corresponding to a genotypic diversity of 0.72. Fifteen genotypes were unique in the total sample set and only 3 were repeated, 2 of which were detected in different patients. Both clustering and phylogenetic analyses provided insights into the genetic links between the isolates; in five patients isolates showed clear genetic links: either the genotype was exactly the same or only slightly different. In contrast, the isolates of the other three patients were dispersed in different clusters and some could be the result of mixing between populations. Conclusions Our data indicated a great MLMT variability between isolates from coinfected patients and no predominant genotype was observed. Despite this, almost all clinical episodes could be interpreted as a relapse rather than a reinfection. The results showed that diverse factors like an intrapatient evolution over time or culture bias could influence the parasite population detected in the patient, making it difficult to differentiate between relapse and reinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Míriam Tomás-Pérez
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Mallorie Hide
- MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Cristina Riera
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Liliana Montoya
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Anne-Laure Bañuls
- MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Esteve Ribera
- Infectious Diseases Department and Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Montserrat Portús
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Roser Fisa
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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