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First epidemiological survey of Leishmania infantum in the domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) in a canine leishmaniosis endemic area using serology and PCR. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:372. [PMID: 36253813 PMCID: PMC9575300 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05517-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniosis, a vector-borne disease caused by Leishmania infantum, is one of the most important parasitic zoonoses in Europe. The transmission cycle of leishmaniosis is maintained by both domestic and wild animals. However, few data are available on the role of wild mammals in transmitting the parasite in the European Mediterranean basin. As feline leishmaniosis, diagnosis of the infection in ferrets can be a challenge, the use of different serological and molecular methods combined is a recommended approach. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of infection of L. infantum in apparently healthy domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in an endemic region of Spain (Community of Valencia), using serological and molecular methods and to evaluate the results comparing the different techniques. Methods The prevalence of Leishmania infection was studied in domestic ferrets. Blood was collected from each animal for serology and molecular analysis. Two serological methods, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot (WB), were used for the detection of L. infantum antibodies, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used for the detection of L. infantum DNA. Results Blood samples from 102 apparently healthy ferrets were analyzed. In the serological study, 25.5% of the animals tested positive by western blot, and 9.0% by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The seroprevalence of L. infantum infection, based on a positive result in any serological test, was 28.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 20.6–S37.9%). No kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) was detected by qPCR in peripheral blood samples from the ferrets tested. Conclusions The immunological response revealed by these tests indicates that the ferrets are exposed to repeated inoculations with the endemic parasite L. infantum. Although the low population of domestic ferrets means their reservoir potential is limited in the absence of a primary host, it would be of interest to carry out further studies using xenodiagnosis to determine whether they are accidental or reservoir host species capable of spreading infection. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05517-y.
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Independent Circulation of Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica in Their Respective Sandfly Vectors for Transmission of Zoonotic and Chronic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Co-Existing in a Mixed Focus of Central Tunisia. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11080855. [PMID: 36014976 PMCID: PMC9414077 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) and chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis (CCL) are known to overlap in Central Tunisia. Sandflies were collected using sticky traps and CDC light-traps set in rodent burrows at the ecotones surrounding the village, in houses, and in animal shelters during July–October 2017, 2018, and 2019. A total of 17,175 sandflies were collected during the three sandfly seasons and identified morphologically to species level. Of a total of 18 sandfly species reported in Tunisia, 16 were identified in this mixed focus of ZCL and CCL. Except for the rocky mountainous areas, Phlebotomus papatasi was the most abundant sandfly species in all biotopes. In the mountainous areas, Phlebotomus sergenti is the most abundant sandfly species belonging to the genus Phlebotomus. Female sandflies were tested for the presence of Leishmania species by PCR. The overall infection prevalence of sandflies with Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica was 0.42% and 0.065%, respectively. The sequencing of PCR-amplified ITS1 products showed that L. major is the predominant species in all biotopes and transmitted mostly by P. papaptasi followed by Phlebotomus longicuspis and Sergentomyia species. Leishmania tropica was detected in Phlebotomus sergenti and in Phlebotomus longicuspis collected in bedrooms and in the ecotone of rocky mountainous areas. Our results provided strong evidence that the proximity of human settlements to biotopes of rodent reservoir hosts of L. major and of L. tropica resulted into the cocirculation of both Leishmania species leading to a mixed focus of ZCL and CCL. The epidemiology of leishmaniases in North Africa is highly complex by the high diversity of sandfly vectors and their associated Leishmania species, leading to a mixed form of cutaneous leishmaniasis. It is of major epidemiological importance to point to the risk of spillover from rural to urban areas leading to the anthroponization of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Therefore, efficient control to reduce the indoor abundance of sandfly vectors in order to reduce the incidence of leishmaniases is urgently needed.
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Ghawar W, Chaouch M, Ben Salah A, Snoussi MA, Salem S, Kharroubi G, Chouchen S, Bouaoun A, Laouini D, Bettaieb J, Ben Abderrazak S. First Report of Two Jaculus Rodents as Potential Reservoir Hosts of Leishmania Parasites in Tunisia. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081502. [PMID: 35893560 PMCID: PMC9332729 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study shows, for the first time, natural Leishmania infection among Jaculus spp. in an endemic region of Tataouine, South Tunisia. To better characterize the transmission cycles in this complex focus of mixed transmission, Leishmania detection and species identification were performed by direct examination, internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS1)-PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and sequencing of Jaculus (J.) jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758) and J. hirtipes (Lichtenstein, 1823) rodent species, which are frequently encountered in this area. Leishmania parasites were observed in 19 (41.3%) smears, while DNA parasites were detected in 28 (60.9%) Jaculus spp. spleens; among them, 12 (54.5%) were from 22 J. jaculus individuals and 16 (66.7%) were from 24 J. hirtipes individuals. Leishmania parasites were confirmed as Leishmania (L.) killicki (syn. L. tropica) in two J. hirtipes individuals (4.3%) and L. major (n = 24; 52.2%) in 10 J. jaculus and 14 J. hirtipes individuals. This finding represents the first evidence of natural infection with Leishmania parasites in rodents belonging to the Jaculus genus, providing the rationale to consider them as potential reservoir hosts of Old World Leishmania parasites in Tunisia and North Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wissem Ghawar
- Department of Medical Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (A.B.S.); (M.A.S.); (S.S.); (G.K.); (J.B.)
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +216-71-843-755; Fax: +216-71-791-833
| | - Melek Chaouch
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
- Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Biotechnology and Biomolecules (LR16IPT06), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics (LR16IPT09), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Afif Ben Salah
- Department of Medical Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (A.B.S.); (M.A.S.); (S.S.); (G.K.); (J.B.)
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences (CMMS), Arabian Gulf University (AGU), Manama 329, Bahrain
| | - Mohamed Ali Snoussi
- Department of Medical Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (A.B.S.); (M.A.S.); (S.S.); (G.K.); (J.B.)
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
| | - Sadok Salem
- Department of Medical Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (A.B.S.); (M.A.S.); (S.S.); (G.K.); (J.B.)
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
| | - Ghassen Kharroubi
- Department of Medical Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (A.B.S.); (M.A.S.); (S.S.); (G.K.); (J.B.)
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Said Chouchen
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Health Regional Directorate of Tataouine, Administrative City, Tataouine Nouvelle, Tataouine 3263, Tunisia
| | - Amor Bouaoun
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Health Regional Directorate of Tataouine, Administrative City, Tataouine Nouvelle, Tataouine 3263, Tunisia
| | - Dhafer Laouini
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
| | - Jihene Bettaieb
- Department of Medical Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (A.B.S.); (M.A.S.); (S.S.); (G.K.); (J.B.)
- Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LR16IPT02), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
- Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (S.C.); (A.B.)
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Souha Ben Abderrazak
- Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1068, Tunisia; (M.C.); (S.B.A.)
- Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Biotechnology and Biomolecules (LR16IPT06), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
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Alcover MM, Riera MC, Fisa R. Leishmaniosis in Rodents Caused by Leishmania infantum: A Review of Studies in the Mediterranean Area. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:702687. [PMID: 34422948 PMCID: PMC8377756 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.702687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniosis infection begins when a phlebotomine sand fly vector inoculates pathogenic protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania into a mammalian host. In the case of Leishmania infantum, the domestic dog is considered to be the main parasite reservoir, and canine leishmaniosis (CanL) has a high mortality rate in untreated dogs. Hundreds of cases of human leishmaniosis (HL) are reported in the world each year, the incidence in Europe being relatively low. Leishmaniosis control is primarily focused on the dog, combining methods that prevent sand fly bites and boost host resistance to infection. However, these measures are only partially effective and new solutions need to be found. One of the main factors limiting CanL and HL control is the existence of a sylvatic Leishmania transmission cycle that interacts with the domestic cycle maintained by dogs. It is suspected that the main reservoir of infection in wildlife are rodents, whose expansion and rapid population growth worldwide is increasing the risk of human and zoonotic pathogen transfer. The aim of this review is therefore to analyze reports in the literature that may shed light on the potential role of rodents in the leishmaniosis transmission cycle in the Mediterranean area. Following the general methodology recommended for reviews, six databases (Google Scholar, Ovid, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science) were explored for the period January 1995 to December 2020. The results extracted from 39 publications that met the established inclusion criteria were analyzed. It was found that 23 species of rodents have been studied in nine countries of the Mediterranean basin. Of the 3,643 specimens studied, 302 tested positive for L. infantum infection by serology, microscopy and/or molecular techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Magdalena Alcover
- Section of Parasitology, Department of Biology, Health, and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Cristina Riera
- Section of Parasitology, Department of Biology, Health, and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roser Fisa
- Section of Parasitology, Department of Biology, Health, and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Bel Hadj Ali I, Chouaieb H, Saadi Ben Aoun Y, Harigua-Souiai E, Souguir H, Yaacoub A, El Dbouni O, Harrat Z, Mukhtar MM, Ben Said M, Haddad N, Fathallah-Mili A, Guizani I. Dipeptidyl peptidase III as a DNA marker to investigate epidemiology and taxonomy of Old World Leishmania species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009530. [PMID: 34310607 PMCID: PMC8341715 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPPIII) member of M49 peptidase family is a zinc-dependent metallopeptidase that cleaves dipeptides sequentially from the N-terminus of its substrates. In Leishmania, DPPIII, was reported with other peptidases to play a significant role in parasites' growth and survival. In a previous study, we used a coding sequence annotated as DPPIII to develop and evaluate a PCR assay that is specific to dermotropic Old World (OW) Leishmania species. Thus, our objective was to further assess use of this gene for Leishmania species identification and for phylogeny, and thus for diagnostic and molecular epidemiology studies of Old World Leishmania species. METHODOLOGY Orthologous DDPIII genes were searched in all Leishmania genomes and aligned to design PCR primers and identify relevant restriction enzymes. A PCR assays was developed and seventy-two Leishmania fragment sequences were analyzed using MEGA X genetics software to infer evolution and phylogenetic relationships of studied species and strains. A PCR-RFLP scheme was also designed and tested on 58 OW Leishmania strains belonging to 8 Leishmania species and evaluated on 75 human clinical skin samples. FINDINGS Sequence analysis showed 478 variable sites (302 being parsimony informative). Test of natural selection (dN-dS) (-0.164, SE = 0.013) inferred a negative selection, characteristic of essential genes, corroborating the DPPIII importance for parasite survival. Inter- and intra-specific genetic diversity was used to develop universal amplification of a 662bp fragment. Sequence analyses and phylogenies confirmed occurrence of 6 clusters congruent to L. major, L. tropica, L. aethiopica, L. arabica, L. turanica, L. tarentolae species, and one to the L. infantum and L. donovani species complex. A PCR-RFLP algorithm for Leishmania species identification was designed using double digestions with HaeIII and KpnI and with SacI and PvuII endonucleases. Overall, this PCR-RFLP yielded distinct profiles for each of the species L. major, L. tropica, L. aethiopica, L. arabica and L. turanica and the L. (Sauroleishmania) L. tarentolae. The species L. donovani, and L. infantum shared the same profile except for strains of Indian origin. When tested on clinical samples, the DPPIII PCR showed sensitivities of 82.22% when compared to direct examination and was able to identify 84.78% of the positive samples. CONCLUSION The study demonstrates that DPPIII gene is suitable to detect and identify Leishmania species and to complement other molecular methods for leishmaniases diagnosis and epidemiology. Thus, it can contribute to evidence-based disease control and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insaf Bel Hadj Ali
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Hamed Chouaieb
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Yusr Saadi Ben Aoun
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Emna Harigua-Souiai
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Hejer Souguir
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
| | - Alia Yaacoub
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Oussaïma El Dbouni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Rafik Hariri Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Laboratoire d’Eco-épidémiologie Parasitaire et Génétique des Populations, Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, Algiers, Algeria
| | | | - Moncef Ben Said
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Nabil Haddad
- Laboratory of Immunology and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Public Health Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
| | - Akila Fathallah-Mili
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
- Service de parasitologie, EPS Farhat Hached, Faculté de Médecine de Sousse, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
| | - Ikram Guizani
- Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunisia
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Genetic diversity of Leishmania tropica: Unexpectedly complex distribution pattern. Acta Trop 2021; 218:105888. [PMID: 33713626 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we characterized a collection of clinical samples obtained from Syrian and Turkish patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences. All obtained sequences belonged to Leishmania tropica. Combining them with those available from GenBank allowed us performing a broad-scale analysis of genetic diversity for this species. We demonstrated that L. tropica has a complex phylogeographic pattern with some haplotypes being widespread across endemic countries and others restricted to particular regions. We hypothesize that at least some of them may be associated with alternative vectors or animal reservoirs.
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Karakuş M, Öktem MA, Sözen M, Matur F, Çolak F, Nalçaci M, Özbel Y, Töz S. First molecular detection and identification of Leishmania species in small wild rodents from Turkey. Parasitology 2020; 147:1088-1093. [PMID: 32404216 PMCID: PMC10317722 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020000803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease infecting animals and humans. Two clinical forms (Visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis) and four species are reported to be present in Turkey. Several studies have investigated canine and human leishmaniasis in Turkey but no study was performed to screen the infection among wild rodents, so far. The present study aims to investigate the role of small wild rodents as reservoir animals for Leishmania spp. in different regions of Turkey. Formalin-preserved tissue samples (spleen, liver, lung) of 712 rodents from 30 provinces were screened for the presence of Leishmania spp. DNA. Before DNA extraction, tissues were dried, rehydrated, and homogenated. Leishmania screening in rodent tissues and species determination was performed with a combination of real-time kDNA and ITS1 polymerase chain reaction protocols. Eight (1.12%) out of 712 animals were found to be positive for Leishmania spp. DNA and species typing revealed five L. infantum, two L. tropica and one L. major among positives. Leishmania major and L. infantum DNA were detected in Apodemus spp. from Zonguldak province located in the Western Black Sea Region, while L. tropica DNA was found in Meriones sp. and Gerbillus dasyurus from Adana and Hatay provinces located in Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey. The present study is first to report natural infection of L. infantum, L. major and L. tropica in small wild rodents in Turkey, suggesting their possible roles as reservoirs. Further studies are needed for planning epidemiological studies and also for developing rodent control measures in risky endemic areas to break the transmission cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Karakuş
- University of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ali Öktem
- Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Sözen
- Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Ferhat Matur
- Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Faruk Çolak
- Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Muhammed Nalçaci
- Ege University Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biology, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Özbel
- Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Seray Töz
- Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Izmir, Turkey
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Alcover MM, Ribas A, Guillén MC, Berenguer D, Tomás-Pérez M, Riera C, Fisa R. Wild mammals as potential silent reservoirs of Leishmania infantum in a Mediterranean area. Prev Vet Med 2019; 175:104874. [PMID: 31901603 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.104874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
A molecular survey of wild mammals was performed to assess their potential as reservoirs of L. infantum. A total of 156 specimens of wild mammalian fauna were obtained for analysis from areas in Catalonia with a reported incidence of canine leishmaniasis. They consisted of 124 small mammals: 35 Mus spretus (Muridae); 64 Erinaceus europaeus (Erinaceidae), 25 Sciurus vulgaris (Sciuridae) and 32 carnivores: 11 Vulpes vulpes (Canidae), 1 Felis catus (Felidae), 15 Meles meles, 4 Martes foina and 1 Mustela vison (Mustelidae). The analysis was performed on samples of liver, spleen, skin (ear) and blood extracted from the heart. Leishmania DNA was determined by a qPCR and specific anti-Leishmania antibodies were detected by an in-house (ELISA). Among the 156 specimens studied, 29.48% were positive in at least one of the samples studied and considered infected. In M. spretus, Leishmania DNA was detected in the liver, spleen or skin of 37.1% of 35 specimens, and 2 of the 13 specimens tested serologically were positive (15.38%). In E. europaeus, 34.4% of the 64 specimens were infected. Leishmania DNA was detected in 19/51 spleens and 5/50 skins; 2 of the 37 specimens analysed in both spleen and skin gave positive results in both samples. Serology was positive in 12.8% (6/47) by ELISA; 3 specimens were positive by both ELISA and qPCR. In S. vulgaris, Leishmania DNA was detected in 5 of 25 specimens (20%). Of the 32 carnivore specimens analysed, Leishmania DNA was detected in both samples studied (spleen and liver) of 4 (12.5%) (2 M. foina, 1 M. vison and 1 F. catus), which were not studied serologically. The data obtained indicate that small mammals, above all wild rodents and carnivores, could act as naturally infected hosts of L. infantum in this endemic area. Among the rodents, M. spretus stands out with the highest prevalence of infection. In E. europaeus, the presence of L. infantum DNA in spleen and skin, and antibodies in heart blood, reported here for the first time, indicates this small mammal could be a possible reservoir. Additionally, S. vulgaris, not previously studied as an L. infantum reservoir, showed non-negligible prevalence values, indicating a potential role in leishmaniasis transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Magdalena Alcover
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alexis Ribas
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - M Carmen Guillén
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Diana Berenguer
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Míriam Tomás-Pérez
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Cristina Riera
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Roser Fisa
- Parasitology Section, Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, Av. de Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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Ghatee MA, Mirhendi H, Karamian M, Taylor WR, Sharifi I, Hosseinzadeh M, Kanannejad Z. Population structures of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania tropica the causative agents of kala-azar in Southwest Iran. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:3447-3458. [PMID: 30105405 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6041-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in Iran and is caused predominantly by Leishmania infantum, but L. tropica is emerging as an important cause. We studied the intra-species population structure of Leishmania spp. causing VL in southwest Iran by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 of DNA samples from 29 bone marrow aspiration smears. L. infantum (n = 25) and L. tropica (n = 4) were identified, consisting of 10 and three ITS1 sequence types (STs), respectively. Compared to GenBank ITS1 STs, our L. infantum parasites displayed high heterogeneity but less heterogeneity compared than northwest Iranian isolates. VL affects mostly nomadic populations in southwest Iran, and their mobility may explain partly the L. infantum heterogeneity. The VL causing L. tropica was also genetically heterogeneous but genetically indistinguishable from L. tropica strains causing anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis from southwest Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amin Ghatee
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran. .,Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
| | - Hossein Mirhendi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Karamian
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.,Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Walter R Taylor
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Massood Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zahra Kanannejad
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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