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Nateghi-Rostami M, Sohrabi Y. Memory T cells: promising biomarkers for evaluating protection and vaccine efficacy against leishmaniasis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1304696. [PMID: 38469319 PMCID: PMC10925770 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1304696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the immune response to Leishmania infection and identifying biomarkers that correlate with protection are crucial for developing effective vaccines. One intriguing aspect of Leishmania infection is the persistence of parasites, even after apparent lesion healing. Various host cells, including dendritic cells, fibroblasts, and Langerhans cells, may serve as safe sites for latent infection. Memory T cells, especially tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM), play a crucial role in concomitant immunity against cutaneous Leishmania infections. These TRM cells are long-lasting and can protect against reinfection in the absence of persistent parasites. CD4+ TRM cells, in particular, have been implicated in protection against Leishmania infections. These cells are characterized by their ability to reside in the skin and rapidly respond to secondary infections by producing cytokines such as IFN-γ, which activates macrophages to kill parasites. The induction of CD4+ TRM cells has shown promise in experimental immunization, leading to protection against Leishmania challenge infections. Identifying biomarkers of protection is a critical step in vaccine development and CD4+ TRM cells hold potential as biomarkers, as their presence and functions may correlate with protection. While recent studies have shown that Leishmania-specific memory CD4+ T-cell subsets are present in individuals with a history of cutaneous leishmaniasis, further studies are needed to characterize CD4+ TRM cell populations. Overall, this review highlights the importance of memory T cells, particularly skin-resident CD4+ TRM cells, as promising targets for developing effective vaccines against leishmaniasis and as biomarkers of immune protection to assess the efficacy of candidate vaccines against human leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yahya Sohrabi
- Department of Cardiology I-Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Disease, Heart Failure, University Hospital Münster, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany
- Department of Medical Genetics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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2
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Blasi-Brugué C, Martínez-Flórez I, Baxarias M, del Rio-Velasco J, Solano-Gallego L. Exploring the Relationship between Neutrophil Activation and Different States of Canine L. infantum Infection: Nitroblue Tetrazolium Test and IFN-γ. Vet Sci 2023; 10:572. [PMID: 37756094 PMCID: PMC10535614 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10090572] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the role of neutrophils in canine leishmaniosis by assessing neutrophil activation and its relationship with different states of L. infantum infection and antibody and IFN-γ production. Dogs were categorized into five groups: healthy-seronegative (n = 25), healthy-seropositive (n = 21), LeishVet-stage I (n = 25), Leishvet-stage II (n = 41), and LeishVet-stage III-IV (n = 16). Results of the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test (NBT) showed significantly higher neutrophil activation in stage I (median:17.17, range: [7.33-31.50]%) compared to in healthy-seronegative (4.10 [1.20-18.00]%), healthy-seropositive (7.65 [3.98-21.74]%), stage II (6.50 [1.50-28.70]%), and stage III-IV (7.50 [3.00-16.75]%) groups (p < 0.0001). Healthy-seropositive dogs also displayed higher values than all groups except stage I. Stages II and III-IV did not show significant differences compared to healthy-seronegative. Regarding IFN-γ, stage I dogs had higher concentrations (median:127.90, range: [0-3998.00] pg/mL) than healthy-seronegative (0 [0-109.50] pg/mL) (p = 0.0002), stage II (9.00 [0-5086.00] pg/mL) (p = 0.045), and stage III-IV (3.50 [80.00-548.80] pg/mL) (p = 0.02) dogs. Stage II dogs showed increased IFN-γ compared to healthy-seronegative dogs (p = 0.015), while stage III-IV dogs had no significant differences compared to healthy-seronegative dogs (p = 0.12). Healthy-seropositive dogs had elevated IFN-γ concentrations compared to healthy-seronegative dogs (p = 0.001) and dogs in stage III-IV (p = 0.03). In conclusion, neutrophil activation was higher in dogs with mild disease and healthy-seropositive dogs, and a relationship between neutrophil activation and the production of IFN-γ was found.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Laia Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (C.B.-B.); (I.M.-F.); (M.B.); (J.d.R.-V.)
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3
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Martínez-Flórez I, Guerrero MJ, Dalmau A, Cabré M, Alcover MM, Berenguer D, Good L, Fisa R, Riera C, Ordeix L, Solano-Gallego L. Effect of Local Administration of Meglumine Antimoniate and Polyhexamethylene Biguanide Alone or in Combination with a Toll-like Receptor 4 Agonist for the Treatment of Papular Dermatitis due to Leishmania infantum in Dogs. Pathogens 2023; 12:821. [PMID: 37375511 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060821] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Papular dermatitis is a cutaneous manifestation of canine Leishmania infantum infection associated with mild disease. Although it is a typical presentation, nowadays, there is still no established treatment. This study evaluated the safety and clinical efficacy of local meglumine antimoniate, locally administered polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) alone or PHMB in combination with a Toll-like receptor 4 agonist (TLR4a) for the treatment of papular dermatitis due to L. infantum and assessed parasitological and immunological markers in this disease. Twenty-eight dogs with papular dermatitis were divided randomly into four different groups; three of them were considered treatment groups: PHMB (n = 5), PHMB + TLR4a (n = 4), and meglumine antimoniate (n = 10)), and the remaining were considered the placebo group (n = 9), which was further subdivided into two sub-groups: diluent (n = 5) and TLR4a (n = 4). Dogs were treated locally every 12 h for four weeks. Compared to placebo, local administration of PHMB (alone or with TLR4a) showed a higher tendency towards resolution of papular dermatitis due to L. infantum infection at day 15 (χ2 = 5.78; df = 2, p = 0.06) and day 30 (χ2 = 4.; df = 2, p = 0.12), while local meglumine antimoniate administration demonstrated the fastest clinical resolution after 15 (χ2 = 12.58; df = 2, p = 0.002) and 30 days post-treatment (χ2 = 9.47; df = 2, p = 0.009). Meglumine antimoniate showed a higher tendency towards resolution at day 30 when compared with PHMB (alone or with TLR4a) (χ2 = 4.74; df = 2, p = 0.09). In conclusion, the local administration of meglumine antimoniate appears to be safe and clinically efficient for the treatment of canine papular dermatitis due to L. infantum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Icíar Martínez-Flórez
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | | | - Annabel Dalmau
- AniCura Mediterrani Hospital Veterinari, 43204 Reus, Spain
| | - Maria Cabré
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Maria Magdalena Alcover
- Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Berenguer
- Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Liam Good
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Roser Fisa
- Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Riera
- Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Ordeix
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Laia Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
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LA LADN, Hernández-Pereira CE, Castillo-Castañeda AC, Patiño LH, Castañeda S, Herrera G, Mogollón E, Muñoz M, Duran A, Loyo D, Pacheco M, Arena L, Isquiel G, Yepez L, Colmenarez B, Caviedes M, Mendez Y, Herrera S, Ramírez JD, Paniz-Mondolfi AE. Diversity and geographical distribution of Leishmania species and the emergence of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and L. (Viannia) panamensis in Central-Western Venezuela. Acta Trop 2023; 242:106901. [PMID: 36940857 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela reveals diverse and changing epidemiological landscapes, as well as a spectrum of clinical phenotypes presumed to be linked to a variety of Leishmania species. Central-western Venezuela constitutes one of the highest endemic epicenters in the country, yet updated molecular epidemiological information is still lacking. Therefore, in this study we aimed to characterize the landscape of circulating Leishmania species across central-western Venezuela through the last two decades, performed comparisons of haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and built a geospatial map of parasite species distribution. A total of 120 clinical samples were collected from patients across the cutaneous disease spectrum, retrieving parasitic DNA, and further characterizing by PCR and sequencing of the HSP70 gene fragment. This data was later collated with further genetic, geospatial and epidemiological analyses. A peculiar pattern of species occurrence including Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (77.63% N=59), Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (14.47% N=11), Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis (5.26% N=4) and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (2.63% N=2) was revealed, also highlighting a very low genetic diversity amongst all analyzed sequences. Geographical distribution showed that most cases are widely distributed across the greater urban-sub urban area of the Irribaren municipality. L.(L.) amazonensis appears to be widely dispersed throughout Lara state. Statistical analyses failed to reveal significance for any comparisons, leading to conclude a lack of association between the infective Leishmania species and clinical phenotypes. To the best of our knowledge, this is an unprecedented study which addresses comprehensively the geographical distribution of Leishmania species in central-western Venezuela throughout the last two decades, and the first to incriminate L. (L.) infantum as an etiologic agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this region. Our findings support that Leishmania endemism in central-western Venezuela is caused mainly by L.(L.) amazonensis. Future studies are needed to unveil additional details on the ecological intricacies and transmission aspects of leishmaniasis (i.e. sampling phlebotomines and mammals) and to adopt adequate public health prevention and control strategies and mitigate disease impact in this endemic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes A Delgado-Noguera LA
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas IDB/Emerging Pathogens Network-Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Cabudare, 3023, Venezuela; Escuela de Medicina "Dr Pablo Acosta Ortiz". Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA), Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela
| | - Carlos E Hernández-Pereira
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas IDB/Emerging Pathogens Network-Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Cabudare, 3023, Venezuela
| | - Adriana C Castillo-Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luz Helena Patiño
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia; Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Sergio Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Giovanny Herrera
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Euler Mogollón
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas IDB/Emerging Pathogens Network-Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Cabudare, 3023, Venezuela; Escuela de Medicina "Dr Pablo Acosta Ortiz". Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA), Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Alexander Duran
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Doris Loyo
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Mirna Pacheco
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Luzmir Arena
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Glenis Isquiel
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Lisbeth Yepez
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Beatriz Colmenarez
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Mayeli Caviedes
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Yamilet Mendez
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Sandry Herrera
- Servicio de Dermatología Sanitaria del Estado Lara, Barquisimeto, Venezuela
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia; Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Alberto E Paniz-Mondolfi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas IDB/Emerging Pathogens Network-Incubadora Venezolana de la Ciencia, Cabudare, 3023, Venezuela; Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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Interleukin 6 and interferon gamma haplotypes are related to cytokine serum levels in dogs in an endemic Leishmania infantum region. Infect Dis Poverty 2023; 12:9. [PMID: 36759910 PMCID: PMC9911338 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01058-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Ibizan Hound is a canine breed native to the Mediterranean region, where leishmaniasis is an endemic zoonosis. Several studies indicate a low prevalence of this disease in Ibizan Hound dogs, whereas other canine breeds present a high prevalence. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain unknown. The aim of this work is to analyse the relationship between serum levels of cytokines and the genomic profiles in two canine breeds, Ibizan Hound (resistant canine breed model) and Boxer (susceptible canine breed model). METHODS In this study, we analyse the haplotypes of genes encoding cytokines related to immune response of Leishmania infantum infection in twenty-four Boxers and twenty-eight Ibizan Hounds apparently healthy using CanineHD DNA Analysis BeadChip including 165,480 mapped positions. The haplo.glm extension of haplo.score was used to perform a General Linear Model (GLM) regression to estimate the magnitude of individual haplotype effects within each cytokine. RESULTS Mean levels of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin 2 (IL-2) and IL-18 in Boxer dogs were 0.19 ± 0.05 ng/ml, 46.70 ± 4.54 ng/ml, and 36.37 ± 30.59 pg/ml, whereas Ibizan Hound dogs present 0.49 ± 0.05 ng/ml, 64.55 ± 4.54 ng/ml, and 492.10 ± 31.18 pg/ml, respectively. The GLM regression shows fifteen haplotypes with statistically significant effect on the cytokine serum levels (P < 0.05). The more relevant are IL6-CGAAG and IFNG-GCA haplotypes, which increase and decrease the IL-2, IL-8 and IFN-γ serum levels, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Haplotypes in the IFNG and IL6 genes have been correlated to serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-18, and a moderate effect has been found on IL8 haplotype correlated to IL-8 and IL-18 serum levels. The results indicate that the resistance to L. infantum infection could be a consequence of certain haplotypes with a high frequency in the Ibizan Hound dog breed, while susceptibility to the disease would be related to other specific haplotypes, with high frequency in Boxer. Future studies are needed to elucidate whether these differences and haplotypes are related to different phenotypes in immune response and expression gene regulation to L. infantum infections in dogs and their possible application in new treatments and vaccines.
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Gopu B, Kour P, Pandian R, Singh K. Insights into the drug screening approaches in leishmaniasis. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 114:109591. [PMID: 36700771 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a tropically neglected disease, is responsible for the high mortality and morbidity ratio in poverty-stricken areas. Currently, no vaccine is available for the complete cure of the disease. Current chemotherapeutic regimens face the limitations of drug resistance and toxicity concerns indicating a great need to develop better chemotherapeutic leads that are orally administrable, potent, non-toxic, and cost-effective. The anti-leishmanial drug discovery process accelerated the desire for large-scale drug screening assays and high-throughput screening (HTS) technology to identify new chemo-types that can be used as potential drug molecules to control infection. Using the HTS approach, about one million compounds can be screened daily within the shortest possible time for biological activity using automation tools, miniaturized assay formats, and large-scale data analysis. Classical and modern in vitro screening assays have led to the progression of active compounds further to ex vivo and in vivo studies. In the present review, we emphasized on the HTS approaches employed in the leishmanial drug discovery program. Recent in vitro screening assays are widely explored to discover new chemical scaffolds. Developing appropriate experimental animal models and their related techniques is necessary to understand the pathophysiological processes and disease host responses, paving the way for unraveling novel therapies against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boobalan Gopu
- Animal House Facility, Pharmacology Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Parampreet Kour
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Ramajayan Pandian
- Animal House Facility, Pharmacology Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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Álvarez L, Marín-García PJ, Llobat L. Immunological and genomic characterization of Ibizan Hound dogs in an endemic Leishmania infantum region. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:445. [DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05504-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The Ibizan Hound is a canine breed native to the Mediterranean region, where leishmaniosis is an endemic zoonosis. Several studies indicate low prevalence of this disease in these dogs but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown.
Methods
In this study, qualitative immunological and genomic profiles of this breed have been analyzed.
Results
Our analysis shows relevant differences between the cytokine serum profile of Ibizan Hound dogs and previously published data from other canine strains. Additionally, several genetic risk variants related to the immune response, regulation of the immune system, and genes encoding cytokines and their receptors have been studied. The most relevant genes that presented such fixed polymorphisms were IFNG and IL6R. Other variants with frequencies ≥ 0.7 were found in the genes ARHGAP18, DAPK1, GNAI2, MITF, IL12RB1, LTBP1, SCL28A3, SCL35D2, PTPN22, CIITA, THEMIS, and CD180. Epigenetic regulatory genes such as HEY2 and L3MBTL3 showed also intronic polymorphisms.
Conclusions
Our analysis and results indicate that the regulation of immune responses is different in Ibizan Hounds compared to other breeds. Future studies are needed to elucidate whether these differences are related to the low prevalence of L. infantum infection in the Ibizan Hound.
Graphical Abstract
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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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Serum levels and genetic variations of cytokines in two canine breeds (Ibizan hound and boxer) in the Mediterranean region, in terms of Leishmania infantum infection. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 90-91:101908. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2022.101908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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10
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Konno H, Yokoyama N, Tamura Y, Aoshima K, Nakao R, Takiguchi M, Katakura K. An experimental challenge model for Leishmania donovani in beagle dogs, showing a similar pattern of parasite burden in the peripheral blood and liver. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3569-3579. [PMID: 36222954 PMCID: PMC9554375 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07681-7] [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: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum are closely related species. However, the former is considered the causative agent for anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis (AVL), while the latter is known to be responsible for zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL) with dogs as the main reservoir host. Although molecular detection of L. donovani from naturally infected dogs has been reported in AVL endemic areas, the experimental infection of dogs with this species is very limited. Here, we constructed an experimental canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) model with L. donovani infection using beagle dogs. During an observation period of 8 months after parasite inoculation, few clinical symptoms were observed in the three inoculated dogs. The overall hematological and biochemical data of the dogs showed normal levels, and there were no remarkable changes in the peripheral CD4+, CD8+, CD25+, or FoxP3+ T cell populations. Liver biopsy sampling was conducted to monitor the parasite burden in the liver. A similar pattern of the amount of mitochondrial kinetoplast DNA was observed in the peripheral blood and liver by real-time PCR analysis. In addition, parasite antigens were detected from the liver biopsy sections by immunohistochemical analysis, further supporting the existence of parasites in the liver. These results showed a subclinical CVL model for L. donovani in beagle dogs with a similar kinetics of parasite burden in the peripheral blood and liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroya Konno
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Nozomu Yokoyama
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yu Tamura
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan.,Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-5201, Japan
| | - Keisuke Aoshima
- Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Ryo Nakao
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Mitsuyoshi Takiguchi
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan.,Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan
| | - Ken Katakura
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0818, Japan.
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11
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Galán-Puchades MT, Solano J, González G, Osuna A, Pascual J, Bueno-Marí R, Franco S, Peracho V, Montalvo T, Fuentes MV. Molecular detection of Leishmania infantum in rats and sand flies in the urban sewers of Barcelona, Spain. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:211. [PMID: 35710435 PMCID: PMC9201797 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05309-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Classically, dogs have been considered to be the only reservoir of leishmaniasis in urban areas. However, in a previous study, we found a 33.3% prevalence of Leishmania infantum in the spleens of Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) sampled in the underground sewer system of the city of Barcelona (Spain). The aim of the present study was to verify, using molecular methods, the potential reservoir role of these rats in the same sewer system. Methods A sensitive real-time PCR (qPCR) assay, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were carried out to identify and quantify the presence of L. infantum DNA in sand fly individuals captured in the same underground sewer system of Barcelona as in our previous study and in the spleens and ears of rats captured in the same sewer system. Results Leishmania infantum DNA was found in 14 of the 27 (51.9%) sand flies identified as Phlebotomus perniciosus, and 10 of the 24 (41.7%) rats studied were infected. Leishmania infantum was found in the spleens (70%) and in the ears (40%) of the infected rats. Quantitative results revealed the presence of high loads of L. infantum in the rats studied (> 3 × 106 parasites/g ear tissue) and among the sand flies (> 34 × 106 parasites in 1 individual). Conclusions The molecular methods used in this study demonstrated a high prevalence of L. infantum in the underground
sewer populations of both R. norvegicus and P. perniciosus. These results suggest that sewer rats, in addition to dogs, are likely to act as reservoirs of leishmaniasis in cities, where sewer systems seem to offer the ideal scenario for the transmission of leishmaniasis. Therefore, to achieve the WHO 2030 target on the elimination of leishmaniasis as a public health problem successfully, an efficient control strategy against leishmaniasis in rats and sand flies should be implemented, particularly in the sewer systems of urban areas of endemic countries. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05309-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Teresa Galán-Puchades
- Parasite and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Jennifer Solano
- Molecular Biochemistry and Parasitology Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Gloria González
- Molecular Biochemistry and Parasitology Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Osuna
- Molecular Biochemistry and Parasitology Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Jordi Pascual
- Pest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rubén Bueno-Marí
- Parasite and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Research and Development, Laboratorios Lokímica, 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sandra Franco
- Pest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Peracho
- Pest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomás Montalvo
- Pest Surveillance and Control, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), 08023, Barcelona, Spain.,Biomedical Research Center Network for Epidemiology and Public Health CIBERESP Epidemiology and Public Health, 08023, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Màrius V Fuentes
- Parasite and Health Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
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12
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Arumugam S, Scorza BM, Petersen C. Visceral Leishmaniasis and the Skin: Dermal Parasite Transmission to Sand Flies. Pathogens 2022; 11:610. [PMID: 35745464 PMCID: PMC9228576 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11060610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease with significant dermal tropism. The skin is an important site of infection contributing to parasite transmission to naïve sand flies, but understanding how parasitism of host skin and the related immune microenvironment supports or prevents skin parasite replication is now the focus of major investigation in the field of leishmaniasis research. Here, we review dermatoimmunology during visceral leishmaniasis (VL), dermal Leishmania parasite burden, and the role of skin parasitism in transmissibility to sand fly vectors. First, we discuss the epidemiology of VL amongst dogs, the primary zoonotic reservoir for human infection. We explore the association between spatial distribution and the burden of parasites in the skin in driving outward transmission. Factors associated with parasite persistence in the skin are examined. We discuss systemic immunity during VL and what is known about immunological correlates in the skin microenvironment. Finally, we touch on factors egested into the skin during Leishmania inoculation by sand flies. Throughout, we discuss factors associated with the early and chronic establishment of Leishmania parasites in the skin and the role of the dermal immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahaana Arumugam
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (S.A.); (B.M.S.)
- Immunology Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Breanna M. Scorza
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (S.A.); (B.M.S.)
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, IA 52241, USA
| | - Christine Petersen
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; (S.A.); (B.M.S.)
- Immunology Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, IA 52241, USA
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13
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FML/QuilA-Vaccinated Dogs Naturally Infected with Leishmania infantum: Serum Cytokines, Clinicopathological Profile, and Parasitological Parameters. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:3192960. [PMID: 34651045 PMCID: PMC8510802 DOI: 10.1155/2021/3192960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are the main reservoir of Leishmania infantum in endemic regions. Canine leishmaniasis, caused by L. infantum, can progress to a chronic disease resulting in death. Vaccines have been developed with a certain degree of success. The pathogenesis of this disease is not completely understood, especially in previously vaccinated dogs. We herein described clinical data, parasite load, serum levels of cytokines, and the reservoir potential in vdogs vaccinated with the fucose-mannose ligand (FML)/QuilA saponin vaccine (Leishmune™) naturally infected (Vi) and compared to vaccinated not infected dogs (Vn). Thirty-four dogs from private owners were divided into two groups: vaccinated/infected and vaccinated/uninfected. Clinical evaluation, hematological and biochemical parameters, and serum levels of cytokines were measured by conventional methods. The parasite burden in the bone marrow was measured by quantitative real-time PCR, and the transmissibility of parasites to sand flies was assessed by xenodiagnosis. Clinical, biochemical, and hematological parameters of vaccinated infected dogs were mostly normal. Vi dogs developed mild disease with low clinical scores. Serum levels of IL-10 were higher in Vi dogs, and a strong correlation was observed in IL-4 levels and the A/G ratio in Vi dogs. These results suggest a role of TH2 response in Vi dogs, although more data is needed to better understand the disease in vaccinated dogs.
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14
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Scorza BM, Mahachi KG, Cox AC, Toepp AJ, Leal-Lima A, Kumar Kushwaha A, Kelly P, Meneses C, Wilson G, Gibson-Corley KN, Bartholomay L, Kamhawi S, Petersen CA. Leishmania infantum xenodiagnosis from vertically infected dogs reveals significant skin tropism. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009366. [PMID: 34613967 PMCID: PMC8523039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dogs are the primary reservoir for human visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum. Phlebotomine sand flies maintain zoonotic transmission of parasites between dogs and humans. A subset of dogs is infected transplacentally during gestation, but at what stage of the clinical spectrum vertically infected dogs contribute to the infected sand fly pool is unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We examined infectiousness of dogs vertically infected with L. infantum from multiple clinical states to the vector Lutzomyia longipalpis using xenodiagnosis and found that vertically infected dogs were infectious to sand flies at differing rates. Dogs with mild to moderate disease showed significantly higher transmission to the vector than dogs with subclinical or severe disease. We documented a substantial parasite burden in the skin of vertically infected dogs by RT-qPCR, despite these dogs not having received intradermal parasites via sand flies. There was a highly significant correlation between skin parasite burden at the feeding site and sand fly parasite uptake. This suggests dogs with high skin parasite burden contribute the most to the infected sand fly pool. Although skin parasite load and parasitemia correlated with one another, the average parasite number detected in skin was significantly higher compared to blood in matched subjects. Thus, dermal resident parasites were infectious to sand flies from dogs without detectable parasitemia. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Together, our data implicate skin parasite burden and earlier clinical status as stronger indicators of outward transmission potential than blood parasite burden. Our studies of a population of dogs without vector transmission highlights the need to consider canine vertical transmission in surveillance and prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna M. Scorza
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Kurayi G. Mahachi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Arin C. Cox
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Angela J. Toepp
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Adam Leal-Lima
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | | | - Patrick Kelly
- Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Claudio Meneses
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, NIH, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Geneva Wilson
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | | | - Lyric Bartholomay
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, NIH, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christine A. Petersen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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15
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Dos Santos NS, de Pinho FA, Hlavac NRC, Nunes TL, Almeida NR, Solcà MS, Varjão BM, Portela RW, Rugani JN, Rêgo FD, Barrouin-Melo SM, Soares RP. Feline Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania infantum: Parasite Sequencing, Seropositivity, and Clinical Characterization in an Endemic Area From Brazil. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:734916. [PMID: 34513979 PMCID: PMC8424124 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.734916] [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: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum is a disease of One Health concern since human and animal cases and environmental damage are interconnected. L. infantum has a complex epidemiological cycle with multiple hosts, including mammals-humans, domestic, and wild animals-and arthropod vectors. Knowledge on mammal infections in endemic areas is crucial for developing control strategies. This work aimed to detect and characterize L. infantum infection in domestic cats from areas where human and canine leishmaniasis cases occur. No cases of feline leishmaniasis (FeL) had been previously reported in those areas. Five municipalities from Bahia state were chosen, comprising 2,480.8 km2 with 1,103,866 inhabitants. Ninety domiciliated and/or sheltered cats underwent clinical examination and serology by a rapid reference test recommended by the Brazilian government. Cytology, PCR, and parasite DNA sequencing were performed in bone marrow samples. Rapid tests detected antibodies in 5.6% (5/90) of the cats. Leishmania infantum infection was confirmed in 7.8% (7/90) of the cats by PCR, sequencing, and parasite isolation. Three out of the five municipalities (60%) had infected cats, and PCR positivity varied from 6.9 to 29%. One cat was categorized as harboring active L. infantum infection with amastigote forms in bone marrow smears. No clinical signs were detected at the first clinical exam, but 1 month later the cat developed severe FeL. The cat isolate was grown in culture, typed and its DNA sequence was homologous to the L. infantum reference strain (PP75). In conclusion, cats are potential hosts and may acquire L. infantum in endemic areas where canine and human cases occur. For cats, the need for surveillance, differential diagnosis and clinical care is highly recommended since a fast clinical progression of FeL developed in a subclinical animal. An accurate standardized immunodiagnostic assay for FeL is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nara Santos Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Teaching Hospital of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Flaviane Alves de Pinho
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Teaching Hospital of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Nicole Regina Capacchi Hlavac
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Talyta Lins Nunes
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Nádia Rossi Almeida
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Production of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Manuela Silva Solcà
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and Animal Production of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Bruno Milen Varjão
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Teaching Hospital of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Wagner Portela
- Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | | | - Felipe Dutra Rêgo
- Instituto Rene Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Stella Maria Barrouin-Melo
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Teaching Hospital of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, Brazil.,Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Pathology and Clinics of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
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16
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Gizzarelli M, Bosco A, Foglia Manzillo V, Bongiorno G, Bianchi R, Giaquinto D, Ben Fayala NEH, Varloud M, Crippa A, Gradoni L, Cringoli G, Maurelli MP, Rinaldi L, Oliva G. Examining the Relationship of Clinical and Laboratory Parameters With Infectiousness to Phlebotomus perniciosus and Its Potential Infectivity in Dogs With Overt Clinical Leishmaniasis. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:667290. [PMID: 34017871 PMCID: PMC8129199 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.667290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infected dogs are considered the main domestic animal reservoirs for Leishmania infantum parasite. Infectiousness to competent phlebotomine vectors has been associated with many factors, the main being the severity of the disease exhibited by infected dogs. This study examines the relationship between different clinical parameters and the infectiousness to colonized Phlebotomus perniciosus sand flies having a blood meal on dogs. Data obtained in the present study come from an untreated group of Leishmania sick dogs submitted to xenodiagnosis for the evaluation of a spot on insecticide solution. Seventeen dogs were diagnosed as affected by leishmaniasis through clinical examination, immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) serology, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The disease severity (clinical score) was staged by using a numeric value derived from eight clinical and parasitological parameters. Xenodiagnosis was performed on caged dogs exposed for 1.5 h to sand-fly bites. The following parameters related to sand flies were examined: blood feeding (% of blood engorged females), promastigote detection (% of promastigote-positive sand flies), promastigote burden, and the promastigote stage maturation (potential transmissibility rate). Statistical relationship between the clinical score and entomological parameters was investigated, as well as the possible correlation between each clinical and laboratory parameters and sand fly infection/infectivity. The severity of clinical score may influence the blood feeding by, and the probability of promastigote detection in, sand flies; skin lesions seem to be the main factor that influences the rate of blood feeding. Promastigote burden is related to IFAT titer, skin lesions, and clinical score. All entomological parameters are strongly related among them. This study confirms that both P. perniciosus infection and infectivity are influenced by a dog's clinical condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Gizzarelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Bosco
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Foglia Manzillo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gioia Bongiorno
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Bianchi
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Giaquinto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nour El Houda Ben Fayala
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Luigi Gradoni
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cringoli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Paola Maurelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Oliva
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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17
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Owen SI, Burza S, Kumar S, Verma N, Mahajan R, Harshana A, Pandey K, Cloots K, Adams E, Das P. Evaluation of qPCR on blood and skin microbiopsies, peripheral blood buffy coat smear, and urine antigen ELISA for diagnosis and test of cure for visceral leishmaniasis in HIV-coinfected patients in India: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e042519. [PMID: 33931406 PMCID: PMC8098939 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION HIV coinfection presents a challenge for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Invasive splenic or bone marrow aspiration with microscopic visualisation of Leishmania parasites remains the gold standard for diagnosis of VL in HIV-coinfected patients. Furthermore, a test of cure by splenic or bone marrow aspiration is required as patients with VL-HIV infection are at a high risk of treatment failure. However, there remain financial, implementation and safety costs to these invasive techniques which severely limit their use under field conditions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We aim to evaluate blood and skin qPCR, peripheral blood buffy coat smear microscopy and urine antigen ELISA as non-invasive or minimally invasive alternatives for diagnosis and post-treatment test of cure for VL in HIV-coinfected patients in India, using a sample of 91 patients with parasitologically confirmed symptomatic VL-HIV infection. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval for this study has been granted by The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, The Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, the University of Antwerp and the Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Science in Patna. Any future publications will be published in open access journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER CTRI/2019/03/017908.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie I Owen
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Shiril Kumar
- Department of Health Research, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Neena Verma
- Department of Health Research, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
| | | | | | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Health Research, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Kristien Cloots
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Emily Adams
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Pradeep Das
- Department of Health Research, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
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18
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Cloots K, Singh OP, Singh AK, Van der Auwera G, Kumar P, Gedda MR, Rai TK, Hasker E, Sundar S, Boelaert M. Assessing L. donovani Skin Parasite Load: A Proof of Concept Study of a Microbiopsy Device in an Indian Setting. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:645121. [PMID: 33791246 PMCID: PMC8006290 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.645121] [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: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the endgame of the elimination initiative of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) on the Indian subcontinent, one of the main questions remaining is whether asymptomatically infected individuals also contribute to transmission. We piloted a minimally invasive microbiopsy device that could help answer this question. While the potential of this device has been previously illustrated in Ethiopia, no such information is available for the setting of the Indian subcontinent. In this proof of concept study we aimed to assess 1) to what extent skin parasite load obtained with the new microbiopsy device correlates with disease status, 2) to what extent skin parasite load correlates with blood parasite load in the same subject, and 3) to what extent the skin parasite load obtained from different sampling sites on the body correlates with one another. Methods We performed a pilot study in Bihar, India, including 29 VL patients, 28 PKDL patients, 94 asymptomatically infected individuals, 22 endemic controls (EC), and 28 non-endemic controls (NEC). Presence of infection with L. donovani in the blood was assessed using Direct Agglutination Test, rK39 ELISA, Whole Blood Analysis measuring IFN-γ and qPCR. A skin sample was collected with the microbiopsy device on two different locations on the body. PKDL patients provided a third skin sample from the edge of a PKDL lesion. Parasite load in the skin was measured by qPCR. Findings We found a clear correlation between the skin parasite load obtained with the microbiopsy device and disease status, with both higher skin parasite loads and higher proportions of positive skin samples in VL and PKDL patients compared to asymptomatics, EC, and NEC. No clear correlation between skin parasite load and blood parasite load was found, but a moderate correlation was present between the skin parasite load in arm and neck samples. In addition, we found four positive skin samples among asymptomatic individuals, and 85% of PKDL lesions tested positive using this microbiopsy device. Conclusions In line with previous pilot studies, our results from an Indian setting suggest that the microbiopsy device provides a promising tool to measure skin parasite load, and – if validated by xenodiagnosis studies – could facilitate much needed larger scale studies on infectiousness of human subgroups. In addition, we advocate further evaluation of this device as a diagnostic tool for PKDL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristien Cloots
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Om Prakash Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.,Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Abhishek Kumar Singh
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Gert Van der Auwera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Mallikarjuna Rao Gedda
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Tulika Kumari Rai
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Epco Hasker
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Shyam Sundar
- Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Marleen Boelaert
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
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Immune response dynamics and Lutzomyia longipalpis exposure characterize a biosignature of visceral leishmaniasis susceptibility in a canine cohort. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009137. [PMID: 33617528 PMCID: PMC7943000 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Reports have shown correlations between the immune response to vector saliva and Leishmaniasis outcome. We followed dogs in an endemic area for two years characterizing resistance or susceptibility to canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) according to Leishmania infantum diagnosis and clinical development criteria. Then, we aimed to identify a biosignature based on parasite load, serum biological mediators’ interactions, and vector exposure intensity associated with CVL resistance and susceptibility. Methodology/Principal findings A prospective two-year study was conducted in an area endemic for CVL. Dogs were evaluated at 6-month intervals to determine infection, clinical manifestations, immune profile, and sandfly exposure. CVL resistance or susceptibility was determined upon the conclusion of the study. After two years, 78% of the dogs were infected with L. infantum (53% susceptible and 47% resistant to CVL). Susceptible dogs presented higher splenic parasite load as well as persistence of the parasite during the follow-up, compared to resistant ones. Susceptible dogs also displayed a higher number of correlations among the investigated biological mediators, before and after infection diagnosis. At baseline, anti-saliva antibodies, indicative of exposure to the vector, were detected in 62% of the dogs, reaching 100% in one year. Higher sandfly exposure increased the risk of susceptibility to CVL by 1.6 times (CI: 1.11–2.41). We identified a discriminatory biosignature between the resistant and susceptible dogs assessing splenic parasite load, interaction of biological mediators, PGE2 serum levels and intensity of exposure to sandfly. All these parameters were elevated in susceptible dogs compared to resistant animals. Conclusions/Significance The biosignature identified in our study reinforces the idea that CVL is a complex multifactorial disease that is affected by a set of factors which are correlated and, for a better understanding of CVL, should not be evaluated in an isolated way. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease that can affect humans and dogs, caused by a parasite called Leishmania transmitted through the bite of sandfly insects. During the bite, together with the parasite, the insects also inoculate their saliva into the host. The host immune response produces molecules to the sandfly saliva, such as antibodies and cytokines that can impact VL resistance or susceptibility. The presence of these molecules also indicates if the insects bit the hosts. We followed dogs of a VL endemic area for two years to study Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) and immune response to sandfly saliva. Dogs were evaluated at 6-month intervals to determine Leishmania infection, clinical manifestations, parasite load, immune response, and sandfly exposure. CVL resistance or susceptibility was determined upon the conclusion of the study. Dogs living in the endemic area were intensely bitten, as at the beginning of the study, 62% of the dogs present anti-saliva antibodies, reaching 100% after one year. Our findings revealed a biosignature of CVL susceptibility characterized by elevated parasite load, interaction of cytokines, and higher exposure to the sandfly. This data reinforced that CVL is a complex disease affected by several factors related to each other.
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Otranto D, Dantas-Torres F, Fourie JJ, Lorusso V, Varloud M, Gradoni L, Drake J, Geurden T, Kaminsky R, Heckeroth AR, Schunack B, Pollmeier M, Beugnet F, Holdsworth P. World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (W.A.A.V.P.) guidelines for studies evaluating the efficacy of parasiticides in reducing the risk of vector-borne pathogen transmission in dogs and cats. Vet Parasitol 2021; 290:109369. [PMID: 33548595 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
These guidelines are intended to provide an in-depth review of current knowledge and assist the planning and implementation of studies for evaluating the efficacy of parasiticides in reducing transmission of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) to dogs and cats. At present, the prevention of VBP transmission in companion animals is generally achieved through the administration of products that can repel or rapidly kill arthropods, thus preventing or interrupting feeding before transmission occurs. The present guidelines complement existing guidelines, which focus on efficacy assessment of parasiticides for the treatment, prevention and control of flea and tick infestations, but also give guidance for studies focused on other vectors (i.e. mosquitoes and phlebotomine sand flies). The efficacy of parasiticides in reducing VBP transmission can be evaluated through laboratory or field studies. As such, the present guidelines provide recommendations for these studies, representing a tool for researchers, pharmaceutical companies and authorities involved in the research, development and registration of products with claims for reducing VBP transmission in dogs and cats, respecting the overall principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement). Gaps in our current understanding of VBP transmission times are herein highlighted and the need for further basic research on related topics is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Otranto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy.
| | - Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70010, Valenzano, Italy; Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (Fiocruz-PE), Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - Vincenzo Lorusso
- Global Research and Intellectual Property, Vetoquinol, 37 Rue de la Victoire, 75009, Paris, France; School of Science, Engineering and Environment, Peel Building, University of Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Jason Drake
- Elanco Animal Health, 2500 Innovation Way, Greenfield, IN, 46140, USA
| | - Thomas Geurden
- Zoetis, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Hoge Wei 10, B-1930, Zaventem, Belgium
| | - Ronald Kaminsky
- ParaC-Consulting for Parasitology and Drug Discovery, 79685, Haeg-Ehrsberg, Germany
| | - Anja R Heckeroth
- MSD Animal Health Innovation GmbH, Zur Propstei, 55270, Schwabenheim, Germany
| | - Bettina Schunack
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH: an Elanco Animal Health Company, 51368, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Matthias Pollmeier
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH: an Elanco Animal Health Company, 51368, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Frédéric Beugnet
- Boehringer-Ingelheim Animal Health, 29 Av Tony Garnier, Lyon, 69007, France
| | - Peter Holdsworth
- PAH Consultancy Pty Ltd, Wanniassa, 2903, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Toll-Like Receptors 2, 4, and 7, Interferon-Gamma, Interleukin 10, and Programmed Death Ligand 1 Transcripts in Leishmanin Skin Test-Positive Reactions of Ibizan Hound Dogs. J Immunol Res 2020; 2020:9602576. [PMID: 32211445 PMCID: PMC7085842 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9602576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The leishmanin skin test (LST) is an in vivo technique commonly used to evaluate the Leishmania-specific cellular immune response in dogs. However, information regarding the local immune response in LST-positive reactions is scarce. We examined the pattern of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, TLR7, interleukin- (IL-) 10, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and (program death ligand) PD-L1 gene expression in LST-positive reactions and paired normal-looking skin of nine infected Ibizan hound dogs. Healthy skin from ten seronegative dogs from a nonendemic area was analysed as a negative control. Immune gene expressions were examined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. LST-positive reactions presented significant upregulation of TLR2, TLR4, IL-10, IFN-γ, and PD-L1 and downregulation of TLR7 when compared with healthy skin of seronegative control dogs from a nonendemic area. All transcripts but TLR7 were significantly higher in LST-positive reaction than in paired normal-looking skin of Ibizan hound. The expression profile of immune genes in LST-positive reactions was similar to that previously observed in clinically lesioned skin of mildly diseased dogs with papular dermatitis due to Leishmania infantum infection. This data provide additional support for the important role of TLRs in canine leishmaniosis.
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Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) remains an important public health issue worldwide causing substantial morbidity and mortality. The Indian subcontinent accounted for up to 90% of the global VL burden in the past but made significant progress during recent years and is now moving towards elimination. However, to achieve and sustain elimination of VL, knowledge gaps on infection reservoirs and transmission need to be addressed urgently. Xenodiagnosis is the most direct way for testing the infectiousness of hosts to the vectors and can be used to investigate the dynamics and epidemiology of Leishmania donovani transmission. There are, however, several logistic and ethical issues with xenodiagnosis that need to be addressed before its application on human subjects. In the current Review, we discuss the critical knowledge gaps in VL transmission and the role of xenodiagnosis in disease transmission dynamics along with its technical challenges. Establishment of state of the art xenodiagnosis facilities is essential for the generation of much needed evidence in the VL elimination initiative.
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Inflammation following trypanosome infection and persistence in the skin. Curr Opin Immunol 2020; 66:65-73. [PMID: 32446136 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2020.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomes rely for their transmission on tsetse flies (Glossina sp.) that inoculate parasites into the skin during blood feeding. The absence of a protective vaccine, limited knowledge about the infection immunology, and the existence of asymptomatic carriers sustaining transmission are major outstanding challenges towards elimination. All these relate to the skin where (i) parasites persist and transmit to tsetse flies and (ii) a successful vaccination strategy should ideally be effective. Host immune processes and parasite strategies that underlie early infection and skin tropism are essential aspects to comprehend the transmission-success of trypanosomes and the failure in vaccine development. Recent insights into the early infection establishment may pave the way to novel strategies aimed at blocking transmission.
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Gizzarelli M, Fiorentino E, Ben Fayala NEH, Montagnaro S, Torras R, Gradoni L, Oliva G, Foglia Manzillo V. Assessment of Circulating Immune Complexes During Natural and Experimental Canine Leishmaniasis. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:273. [PMID: 32509808 PMCID: PMC7248327 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a disease characterized by a large variety of clinical alterations, the majority of which being due to immune mediated mechanisms. Sick dogs usually produce high levels of Leishmania-specific immunoglobulins which may give rise to circulating immune complexes (CICs) whose defective clearance by scavenging macrophages induces vasculitis and their deposition in specific organs. The aim of this study was to assess the serum level of CICs in dogs exposed to natural and experimental infection. Fifty-two sera were examined, belonging to untreated groups of naïve beagles previously studied to assess the performance of anti-leishmanial vaccines under natural (no. 22 dogs) or experimental (no. 30 dogs) transmission. Sera were classified in five groups according to the dog's health condition, IFAT titer, and the bone marrow (BM) nested (n)-PCR result. A: no.10 healthy dogs before the experimental infection; B: no.10 clinically healthy dogs infected experimentally, IFAT negative (= reciprocal titer <160) and n-PCR positive; C: no.10 clinically healthy dogs naturally infected, IFAT positive at titers 160-320 and n-PCR negative; D: no.10 sick dogs experimentally infected, IFAT positive at titer >320 and n-PCR positive; E: no.12 sick dogs naturally infected, IFAT positive at titer >320 and n-PCR positive. CICs levels were assessed by ELISA method (canine CIC assay-Cloude-Clone Corporation, USA). The two groups characterized by negative IFAT (A and B) had the lowest median level of CICs (16.09 and 12.78 μg/ml, respectively). CICs value increased progressively in the group C and reached the highest levels in the groups D and E, both characterized by high antibodies titer and severe disease, independently from the mode of infection. Significant differences in CICs concentration (p < 0.0001) were demonstrated between A, B, and C groups when compared with D or E groups of dogs. No differences were found inside the first three groups, while differences were recorded between the last two groups of sick dogs. CICs serum concentration increased with the progress of leishmaniasis, being significantly correlated with the increase of specific antibodies over time. High CICs levels detectable by commercial ELISA proved specific to an established Leishmania infection in dogs in the absence of other concomitant infections, as demonstrated by the similar trend assessed in experimentally and naturally infected dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Gizzarelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Eleonora Fiorentino
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Nour El Houda Ben Fayala
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Montagnaro
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Oliva
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Foglia Manzillo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Moura CRLDP, Costa CHN, Moura RDD, Braga ARF, Silva VC, Costa DL. Cutaneous parasitism in patients with American visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic area. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2020; 53:e20190446. [PMID: 32130324 PMCID: PMC7094057 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0446-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) represents a public health concern in several
areas of the world. In the American continent, VL transmission is typically
zoonotic, but humans with active VL caused by Leishmania
infantum are able to infect sandflies. Thus, individuals with
cutaneous parasitic infections may act as reservoirs and allow interhuman
transmission. Additionally, the skin may be responsible for reactivation of
the disease after therapy. This study’s objective was to evaluate cutaneous
parasitism in humans with VL in an American endemic area. METHODS: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in northeast Brazil
from October 2016 to April 2017. Biopsies of healthy skin for histopathology
and immunohistochemistry were performed prior to treatment in all study
patients. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients between the ages of five months to 78 years were
included in the study. Seven patients (31.8%) tested positive for HIV. Only
one patient had cutaneous parasitism, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry
prior to treatment. Parasitism was not detected after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous parasitism in the healthy skin of humans with visceral
leishmaniasis, although unusual, may be a source of infection for
phlebotomine sandflies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rafael de Deus Moura
- Universidade Federal do Piauí, Departamento de Medicina Especializada, Teresina, PI, Brasil.,Universidade Federal do Piauí, Hospital Universitário, Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | - Aline Reis Ferro Braga
- Universidade Federal do Piauí, Hospital Universitário, Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica, Teresina, PI, Brasil
| | | | - Dorcas Lamounier Costa
- Universidade Federal do Piauí, Instituto de Doenças Tropicais Nathan Portella, Teresina, PI, Brasil
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Toepp AJ, Monteiro GRG, Coutinho JFV, Lima AL, Larson M, Wilson G, Grinnage-Pulley T, Bennett C, Mahachi K, Anderson B, Ozanne MV, Anderson M, Fowler H, Parrish M, Willardson K, Saucier J, Tyrell P, Palmer Z, Buch J, Chandrashekar R, Brown GD, Oleson JJ, Jeronimo SMB, Petersen CA. Comorbid infections induce progression of visceral leishmaniasis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:54. [PMID: 30674329 PMCID: PMC6345068 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3312-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector borne zoonotic disease endemic in humans and dogs in Brazil. Due to the increased risk of human infection secondary to the presence of infected dogs, public health measures in Brazil mandate testing and culling of infected dogs. Despite this important relationship between human and canine infection, little is known about what makes the dog reservoir progress to clinical illness, significantly tied to infectiousness to sand flies. Dogs in endemic areas of Brazil are exposed to many tick-borne pathogens, which are likely to alter the immune environment and thus control of L. infantum. RESULTS A cross-sectional study of 223 dogs from an area of Natal, in the Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, were studied to determine the association between comorbid tick-borne disease and Leishmania infection in this endemic area. The risk of Leishmania seropositivity was 1.68× greater in dogs with tick-borne disease seropositivity compared to those without (Adjusted RR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09-2.61, P = 0.019). A longitudinal study of 214 hunting dogs in the USA was conducted to determine the causal relationship between infection with tick-borne diseases and progression of VL. Hunting dogs were evaluated three times across a full tick season to detect incident infection with tick-borne diseases. A logistic regression model with generalized estimating equations to estimate the parameters was used to determine how exposure to tick-borne disease altered VL progression over these three time points when controlling for other variables. Dogs infected with three or more tick-borne diseases were 11× more likely to be associated with progression to clinical VL than dogs with no tick-borne disease (Adjusted RR: 11.64, 95% CI: 1.22-110.99, P = 0.03). Dogs with exposure to both Leishmania spp. and tick-borne diseases were five times more likely to die during the study period (RR: 4.85, 95% CI: 1.65-14.24, P = 0.0051). CONCLUSIONS Comorbid tick-borne diseases dramatically increased the likelihood that a dog had clinical L. infantum infection, making them more likely to transmit infection to sand flies and people. As an important consequence, reduction of tick-borne disease exposure through topical or oral insecticides may be an important way to reduce progression and transmissibility of Leishmania infection from the canine reservoir to people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela J. Toepp
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Glória R. G. Monteiro
- Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970 Brazil
| | - José F. V. Coutinho
- Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970 Brazil
| | - Adam Leal Lima
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Mandy Larson
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Geneva Wilson
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Tara Grinnage-Pulley
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Carolyne Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Kurayi Mahachi
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Bryan Anderson
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Marie V. Ozanne
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
| | - Michael Anderson
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Hailie Fowler
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Immunology Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
| | - Molly Parrish
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Kelsey Willardson
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
| | - Jill Saucier
- IDEXX Laboratories Inc., One IDEXX Drive, Westbrook, Maine 04092 USA
| | - Phyllis Tyrell
- IDEXX Laboratories Inc., One IDEXX Drive, Westbrook, Maine 04092 USA
| | - Zachary Palmer
- Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
| | - Jesse Buch
- IDEXX Laboratories Inc., One IDEXX Drive, Westbrook, Maine 04092 USA
| | | | - Grant D. Brown
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
| | - Jacob J. Oleson
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
| | - Selma M. B. Jeronimo
- Institute of Tropical Medicine of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN 59078-970 Brazil
| | - Christine A. Petersen
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa Research Park, Coralville, Iowa 52241 USA
- Immunology Program, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 USA
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Abbehusen MMC, Cunha J, Suarez MS, Teixeira C, Almeida VDA, Pereira LDS, Bordoni M, Gil-Santana L, Solcà MDS, Fraga DBM, Fischer L, Bozza PT, Veras PST, Valenzuela JG, Kamhawi S, Andrade BB, Brodskyn CI. Immunization of Experimental Dogs With Salivary Proteins From Lutzomyia longipalpis, Using DNA and Recombinant Canarypox Virus Induces Immune Responses Consistent With Protection Against Leishmania infantum. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2558. [PMID: 30519235 PMCID: PMC6251279 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02558] [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: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Metacyclic Leishmania promastigotes are transmitted by sand flies that inject parasites and saliva into the host's skin. Previous studies have demonstrated that DNA plasmids encoding Lutzomyia longipalpis salivary proteins LJM17 and LJL143, when used to immunize dogs, resulted in a systemic and local Th1 cell-mediated immunity that interfered in parasite survival in vitro. Here we evaluated the ability of these same salivary antigens to induce anti-Leishmania immunity and to confer protection by immunizing dogs using a novel vaccination strategy more suitable for use in the field. The strategy consisted of a single dose of plasmid followed by two doses of recombinant Canarypoxvirus (rCanarypoxvirus) expressing L. longipalpis salivary proteins (LJM17 or LJL143). Thirty days after the final immunization, dogs were intradermally challenged with 107Leishmania infantum promastigotes in the presence of L. longipalpis saliva. We followed the experimentally infected dogs for 10 months to characterize clinical, parasitological, and immunological parameters. Upon vaccination, all immunized dogs presented strong and specific humoral responses with increased serum concentrations of IFN-γ, TNF, IL-7, and IL-15. The serum of dogs immunized with LJM17 also exhibited high levels of IL-2, IL-6, and IL-18. L. infantum infection was established in all experimental groups as evidenced by the presence of anti-Leishmania IgG, and by parasite detection in the spleen and skin. Dogs immunized with LJM17-based vaccines presented higher circulating levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-15, IL-18, TNF, CXCL10, and GM-CSF post-infection when compared with controls. Results demonstrated that relevant Leishmania-specific immune responses were induced following vaccination of dogs with L. longipalpis salivary antigen LJM17 administered in a single priming dose of plasmid DNA, followed by two booster doses of recombinant Canarypox vector. Importantly, a significant increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines known to be relevant for protection against leishmaniasis was evidenced after challenging LJM17-vaccinated dogs as compared to controls. Although similar results were observed following immunization with LJL143, the pro-inflammatory response observed after immunization was attenuated following infection. Collectively, these data suggest that the LJM17-based vaccine induced an immune profile consistent with the expected protective immunity against canine leishmaniosis. These results clearly support the need for further evaluation of the LJM17 antigen, using a heterologous prime-boost vaccination strategy against canine visceral leishmaniosis (CVL).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jurema Cunha
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Marcelo Bordoni
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Laurent Fischer
- Boerhinger Ingelheim, R&D, Laboratoire de Lyon Portes des Alpes, Lyon, France
| | - Patricia Torres Bozza
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Unit, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruno B Andrade
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Brazil.,Multinational Organization Network Sponsoring Translational and Epidemiological Research (MONSTER) Initiative, Fundação José Silveira, Salvador, Brazil.,Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Brazil.,Universidade Salvador (UNIFACS), Laureate Universities, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Claudia I Brodskyn
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina and Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.,Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Investigação em Imunologia (III-INCT), São Paulo, Brazil
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Maia C, Campino L. Biomarkers Associated With Leishmania infantum Exposure, Infection, and Disease in Dogs. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:302. [PMID: 30237985 PMCID: PMC6136405 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is a vector-borne disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum species [syn. L. (L.) infantum chagasi species in the Americas] which is transmitted by the bite of a female phlebotomine sand fly. This parasitosis is endemic and affect millions of dogs in Asia, the Americas and the Mediterranean basin. Domestic dogs are the main hosts and the main reservoir hosts for human zoonotic leishmaniosis. The outcome of infection is a consequence of intricate interactions between the protozoan and the immunological and genetic background of the host. Clinical manifestations can range from subclinical infection to very severe disease. Early detection of infected dogs, their close surveillance and treatment are essential to control the dissemination of the parasite among other dogs, being also a pivotal element for the control of human zoonotic leishmaniosis. Hence, the identification of biomarkers for the confirmation of Leishmania infection, disease and determination of an appropriate treatment would represent an important tool to assist clinicians in diagnosis, monitoring and in giving a realistic prognosis to subclinical infected and sick dogs. Here, we review the recent advances in the identification of Leishmania infantum biomarkers, focusing on those related to parasite exposure, susceptibility to infection and disease development. Markers related to the pathogenesis of the disease and to monitoring the evolution of leishmaniosis and treatment outcome are also summarized. Data emphasizes the complexity of parasite-host interactions and that a single biomarker cannot be used alone for CanL diagnosis or prognosis. Nevertheless, results are encouraging and future research to explore the potential clinical application of biomarkers is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Maia
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lenea Campino
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
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Ordeix L, Silva JEDS, Llull J, Quirola P, Montserrat-Sangrà S, Martínez-Orellana P, Solano-Gallego L. Histological and Immunological Description of the Leishmanin Skin Test in Ibizan Hounds. J Comp Pathol 2018; 158:56-65. [PMID: 29422316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The leishmanin skin test (LST), a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to Leishmania infantum, can specifically identify dogs that have made a cell-mediated immune response to L. infantum infection. The Ibizan hound appears to be more resistant to L. infantum infection than other breeds of dog. The aim of this study was to describe the histological and immunohistochemical changes induced by the LST in Ibizan hounds living in an area highly endemic for leishmaniosis. The majority of dogs were apparently healthy, lacked serum antibody to L. infantum and blood parasitaemia, but had marked specific interferon gamma production after in-vitro blood stimulation with L. infantum. Leishmanin (3 × 108 killed promastigotes of L. infantum/ml) was injected intradermally and biopsy samples were obtained from a positive reaction at 72 h from nine Ibizan hounds. A moderate to intense, perivascular to interstitial dermatitis and panniculitis characterized the inflammatory response at the injection site. In addition, three samples had diffuse inflammation in the deep dermis and panniculus. Oedema and necrosis were present in the deep dermis and panniculus. Congestion and haemorrhage were observed in five biopsies. T lymphocytes (CD3+) and large mononuclear cells (lysozyme-) were the most prevalent cells. CD3+ cells were significantly more numerous than CD20+ B cells and lysozyme+ cells. B cells were sparsely distributed, especially in the deep dermis and panniculus. Rare neutrophils and macrophages (lysozyme+) were observed with few eosinophils. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 protein was expressed in large mononuclear cells mainly located in the superficial dermis. Leishmania immunohistochemistry was negative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction was positive in all cases. The intradermal injection of killed L. infantum promastigotes in Ibizan hounds causes similar histological and immunohistochemical findings to those described for human subjects and are indicative of a DTH response. Moreover, TLR2 protein is expressed in inflammatory cells similar to findings in clinically affected skin biopsy samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ordeix
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Hospital MonVeterinari, Manacor, Mallorca, Spain.
| | - J E Dos S Silva
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - J Llull
- Hospital MonVeterinari, Manacor, Mallorca, Spain
| | - P Quirola
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - S Montserrat-Sangrà
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - P Martínez-Orellana
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - L Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain; Hospital MonVeterinari, Manacor, Mallorca, Spain.
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Clinical and immunopathological findings during long term follow-up in Leishmania infantum experimentally infected dogs. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15914. [PMID: 29162847 PMCID: PMC5698407 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15651-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) is caused by Leishmania infantum, which in the New World is transmitted by Lutzomyia longipalpis. While prospective clinical and immunological assessments of dogs experimentally challenged with L. infantum have been previously reported over a relatively short follow-up period, the long-term characterization of infected animals has not been performed to date. We evaluated dogs in a subclinical state for six years following experimental infection with L. infantum and Lu. longipalpis saliva, via an intradermal route, to characterize clinical, parasitological and immunological parameters arising from L. infantum experimental infection. We also assess these parameters in a group of naturally infected animals. The immune profiles of the experimentally and naturally infected animals exhibited increases of IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-18, and decreases in TNF, IL-2, IL-8 and CXCL1, compared to controls. Our results indicate that over a six-year follow-up post-challenge, subclinically infected dogs presented low CVL clinical scores despite the persistence of Leishmania parasites in the lymph nodes, spleen and skin. Similarities observed among immune profiles in the context of experimental and natural infection seem to suggest that an enduring activation of the host immune response may lead to the control of parasite growth, thereby limiting disease severity.
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Rampazzo RDCP, Solcà MDS, Santos LCS, Pereira LDN, Guedes JCO, Veras PST, Fraga DBM, Krieger MA, Costa ADT. A ready-to-use duplex qPCR to detect Leishmania infantum DNA in naturally infected dogs. Vet Parasitol 2017; 246:100-107. [PMID: 28969770 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is a systemic disease caused by Leishmania infantum. A precise CVL diagnosis would allow for a faster and more specific treatment. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a sensitive and specific technique that can diagnose CVL and also monitor parasite load in the animal during the course of the infection or treatment. The aim of this study was to develop a ready-to-use (gelified and freezer-free) duplex qPCR for the identification of infected animals. We combined a new qPCR protocol that detects the canine 18S rRNA gene with an existing protocol for L. infantum kDNA detection, creating a duplex qPCR. This duplex method was then developed into a ready-to-use format. The performance of the duplex and singleplex reactions were compared in the traditional format (liquid and freezer-stored). Furthermore, the duplex qPCR performance was compared between the ready-to-use and traditional formats. The singleplex and new duplex qPCR exhibited the same detection limit in the traditional format (0.1 parasites/reaction). The ready-to-use format showed a detection limit of 1 parasite/reaction without affecting the reaction efficiency. The performance of the new qPCR protocol in the two formats was assessed using canine tissue samples from 82 dogs in an endemic CVL area that were previously characterized by standard serological and parasitological protocols. Splenic aspirates provided a higher rate of positivity (92.9%) followed by skin (50%) and blood (35.7%). The reported detection limits were observed for all tissues studied. Our results show that the amplification of L. infantum kDNA and canine DNA in a single tube, using either the traditional or ready-to-use format, exhibited the same diagnostic performance as amplification of the parasite kDNA alone. The detection of the host gene strengthens the qPCR results by confirming the presence and quality of DNA in the samples and the absence of polymerase inhibitors. The ready-to-use duplex qPCR format has many advantages. By joining two qPCR protocols into one, more results can be obtained in the same amount of time with reduced costs and embedded quality control. Reagents are preloaded and stored on the plate, reducing the operator's hands-on time to set up a reaction, as well as decreasing manipulation steps, which reduces the risk of mistakes or contamination. Thus, the ready-to-use duplex format turns qPCR into a robust, easy-to-use tool, which could help increase the availability of qPCR for CVL diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita de Cássia Pontello Rampazzo
- Instituto Carlos Chagas (ICC), FIOCRUZ-PR, Rua Prof. Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775 CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Instituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná (IBMP), Rua Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775 CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Manuela da Silva Solcà
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção (LPBI), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), FIOCRUZ-BA, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121 Candeal, 40296-710, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Liliane Celestino Sales Santos
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Produção Animal, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Av. Adhemar de Barros, 500 Ondina, 40170-110, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Lais de Novaes Pereira
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Produção Animal, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Av. Adhemar de Barros, 500 Ondina, 40170-110, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - José Carlos Oliveira Guedes
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Produção Animal, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Av. Adhemar de Barros, 500 Ondina, 40170-110, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Sampaio Tavares Veras
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção (LPBI), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), FIOCRUZ-BA, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121 Candeal, 40296-710, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia de Doenças Tropicais, INCT-DT, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Deborah Bittencourt Mothé Fraga
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção (LPBI), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), FIOCRUZ-BA, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121 Candeal, 40296-710, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Produção Animal, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Av. Adhemar de Barros, 500 Ondina, 40170-110, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia de Doenças Tropicais, INCT-DT, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurélio Krieger
- Instituto Carlos Chagas (ICC), FIOCRUZ-PR, Rua Prof. Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775 CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Instituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná (IBMP), Rua Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775 CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Dias Tavares Costa
- Instituto Carlos Chagas (ICC), FIOCRUZ-PR, Rua Prof. Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775 CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Instituto de Biologia Molecular do Paraná (IBMP), Rua Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader, 3775 CIC, 81350-010, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
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Kamhawi S, Serafim TD. Patchy Parasitized Skin Governs Leishmania donovani Transmission to Sand Flies. Trends Parasitol 2017; 33:748-750. [PMID: 28867329 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Doehl et al. have combined empirical data with computer simulation to demonstrate that RAG-2 mice intravenously infected with Leishmania donovani form heterogeneous skin parasite patches that govern infectiousness to sand flies. This model provides a much-needed tool to explore the relevance of asymptomatic and symptomatic visceral leishmaniasis patients as infection reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
| | - Tiago D Serafim
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
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Skin parasite landscape determines host infectiousness in visceral leishmaniasis. Nat Commun 2017; 8:57. [PMID: 28680146 PMCID: PMC5498584 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00103-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that the infectiousness of patients for the sand fly vector of visceral leishmaniasis is linked to parasites found in the skin. Using a murine model that supports extensive skin infection with Leishmania donovani, spatial analyses at macro-(quantitative PCR) and micro-(confocal microscopy) scales indicate that parasite distribution is markedly skewed. Mathematical models accounting for this heterogeneity demonstrate that while a patchy distribution reduces the expected number of sand flies acquiring parasites, it increases the infection load for sand flies feeding on a patch, increasing their potential for onward transmission. Models representing patchiness at both macro- and micro-scales provide the best fit with experimental sand fly feeding data, pointing to the importance of the skin parasite landscape as a predictor of host infectiousness. Our analysis highlights the skin as a critical site to consider when assessing treatment efficacy, transmission competence and the impact of visceral leishmaniasis elimination campaigns. Parasitemia has been considered the main determinant of visceral leishmaniasis transmission. By combining imaging, qPCR and experimental xenodiagnoses with mathematical models, Doehl et al. argue that the patchy landscape of parasites in the skin is necessary to explain infectiousness.
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Miró G, Petersen C, Cardoso L, Bourdeau P, Baneth G, Solano-Gallego L, Pennisi MG, Ferrer L, Oliva G. Novel Areas for Prevention and Control of Canine Leishmaniosis. Trends Parasitol 2017; 33:718-730. [PMID: 28601528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2017.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There have been multiple recent advances regarding tools for the control and prevention of canine leishmaniosis (CanL), including new preventative vaccines. In this review, these advances are evaluated based on control targets, including vector and parasite. Leishvet recommendations are provided for control practices based on the dog's risk of infection. New topical insecticide formulations have proven to be effective in preventing sand fly bites, and subsequently infection. Parasite control occurs through chemotherapeutic or immunologic means, which decrease or prevent transmission to other animals, including humans. Leishmaniosis control programs that include a combination of coordinated measures, either in individuals or for prevention across reservoir populations, are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Miró
- Department of Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christine Petersen
- College of Public Health, Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
| | - Luís Cardoso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Patrick Bourdeau
- Veterinary School of Nantes ONIRIS, University of Nantes, LUNAM, Nantes 44307, France
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Laia Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Maria Grazia Pennisi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, Messina 98168, Italy
| | - Lluís Ferrer
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA
| | - Gaetano Oliva
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Food Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, Naples 80137, Italy
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Kirstein OD, Abbasi I, Horwitz BZ, Skrip L, Hailu A, Jaffe C, Li LL, Prow TW, Warburg A. Minimally invasive microbiopsies: a novel sampling method for identifying asymptomatic, potentially infectious carriers of Leishmania donovani. Int J Parasitol 2017; 47:609-616. [PMID: 28455239 PMCID: PMC5596977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Microbiopsy devices were designed to assess the infectiousness of asymptomatic Leishmania donovani carriers. The microbiopsy devices sample both skin tissues and blood, as do pool-feeding phlebotomine sand flies. Devices were tested on human volunteers in Ethiopia and proven effective, surpassing the sensitivity of finger-pricks.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a potentially lethal, sand fly-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the Leishmania donovani species complex. There are several adequate methods for diagnosing VL, but the majority of infected individuals remain asymptomatic, comprising potential parasite reservoirs for transmission of the disease. The gold standard for assessing host infectiousness to biting vector insects is xenodiagnosis (i.e. scoring infection rates among insectary-reared insects that had fed on humans suspected of being infected). However, when it comes to sand flies and leishmaniasis, xenodiagnosis is an intricate operation burdened by logistical hurdles and ethical concerns that prevent its effective application for mass screening of widely dispersed communities, particularly in rural regions of underdeveloped countries. Minimally invasive microbiopsy (MB) devices were designed to penetrate the skin to a depth of ∼200 µm and absorb blood as well as skin cell lysates, mimicking the mode by which phlebotomine sand flies acquire blood meals, as well as their composition. MBs taken from 137 of 262 volunteers, living in endemic VL foci in Ethiopia, detected Leishmania parasites that could potentially be imbibed by feeding sand flies. Although the volume of MBs was 10-fold smaller than finger-prick blood samples, Leishmania DNA detection rates from MBs were significantly higher, implying that skin, more often than blood, was the source of parasites. Volunteers with histories of VL were almost as likely as healthy volunteers to test positive by MBs (southern Ethiopian focus: 95% CI: 0.35–2.59, P = 1.0. northern Ethiopian focus 0.87: 95% CI: 0.22–3.76, P = 1), suggesting the importance of asymptomatic patients as reservoirs of L. donovani. Minimally invasive, painless MBs should be considered for reliably and efficiently evaluating both L. donovani infection rates among large numbers of asymptomatic carriers and their infectiousness to blood-feeding sand flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar David Kirstein
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Kuvin Centre for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Ibrahim Abbasi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Kuvin Centre for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Ben Zion Horwitz
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Kuvin Centre for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Laura Skrip
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Asrat Hailu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Charles Jaffe
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Kuvin Centre for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Lynlee L Li
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4012, Australia
| | - Tarl W Prow
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4012, Australia
| | - Alon Warburg
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Kuvin Centre for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Israel.
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Falcão de Oliveira E, Oshiro ET, Fernandes WDS, Murat PG, de Medeiros MJ, Souza AI, de Oliveira AG, Galati EAB. Experimental infection and transmission of Leishmania by Lutzomyia cruzi (Diptera: Psychodidae): Aspects of the ecology of parasite-vector interactions. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005401. [PMID: 28234913 PMCID: PMC5342273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several parameters should be addressed before incriminating a vector for Leishmania transmission. Those may include its ability to become infected by the same Leishmania species found in humans, the degree of attractiveness for reservoirs and humans and capacity to sustain parasite infection under laboratory conditions. This study evaluated the vectorial capacity of Lutzomyia cruzi for Leishmania infantum and gathered information on its ability to harbor L. amazonensis. Laboratory-reared Lu. cruzi were infected experimentally by feeding them on dogs infected naturally with L. infantum and hamsters infected with L. amazonensis. Sand fly attractiveness to dogs and humans was determined using wild caught insects. The expected daily survival of infected Lu. cruzi, the duration of the gonotrophic cycle, and the extrinsic incubation period were also investigated for both parasites. Vector competence was investigated for both Leishmania species. The mean proportion of female sand flies that fed on hosts was 0.40. For L. infantum and L. amazonensis, Lu. cruzi had experimental infection rates of 10.55% and 41.56%, respectively. The extrinsic incubation period was 3 days for both Leishmania species, regardless of the host. Survival expectancy of females infected with L. infantum and L. amazonensis after completing the gonotrophic cycle was 1.32 and 0.43, respectively. There was no association between L. infantum infection and sand fly longevity, but L. amazonensis–infected flies had significantly greater survival probabilities. Furthermore, egg-laying was significantly detrimental to survival. Lu. cruzi was found to be highly attracted to both dogs and humans. After a bloodmeal on experimentally infected hosts, both parasites were able to survive and develop late-stage infections in Lu. cruzi. However, transmission was demonstrated only for L. amazonensis–infected sand flies. In conclusion, Lu. cruzi fulfilled several of the requirements of vectorial capacity for L. infantum transmission. Moreover, it was also permissive to L. amazonensis. Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by the Leishmania parasite. It is transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies when infected females take a bloodmeal from a mammalian host. The transmission of Leishmania species involves complex ecological interactions between parasite–vector and vector–host. Until recently, the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis, which belongs to a species complex, had been solely incriminated in Latin American transmission of Leishmania infantum. However, there are still uncertainties concerning the L. infantum transmission, especially in an urban area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. Along the years, Lutzomyia cruzi has been suspected of transmitting L. infantum in Corumbá and vicinity, and this study aimed to provide more accurate evidence of this phenomenon. Laboratory-reared Lu. cruzi were infected experimentally by allowing them to feed on dogs naturally infected with L. infantum and on hamsters infected with L. amazonensis. Our results identified important life cycle parameters of Lu. cruzi infected by Leishmania in laboratory conditions. We identified the components related to vectorial capacity, and also the vector incrimination criteria of Lu. cruzi for L. infantum. Additionally, we demonstrated the experimental transmission of L. amazonensis by Lu. cruzi to a naïve host, and revealed strong evidence that supports Lu. cruzi as a vector of L. infantum and as a permissive vector for L. amazonensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Everton Falcão de Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
- Departamento de Estatística, Campus Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- * E-mail: (EFO); (EABG)
| | - Elisa Teruya Oshiro
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil
| | - Wagner de Souza Fernandes
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil
| | - Paula Guerra Murat
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil
| | - Márcio José de Medeiros
- Departamento de Estatística, Campus Macaé, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Alda Izabel Souza
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil
| | | | - Eunice Aparecida Bianchi Galati
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
- Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
- * E-mail: (EFO); (EABG)
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Borja LS, Sousa OMFD, Solcà MDS, Bastos LA, Bordoni M, Magalhães JT, Larangeira DF, Barrouin-Melo SM, Fraga DBM, Veras PST. Parasite load in the blood and skin of dogs naturally infected by Leishmania infantum is correlated with their capacity to infect sand fly vectors. Vet Parasitol 2016; 229:110-117. [PMID: 27809965 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis is primarily responsible for the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the New World, and dogs are considered to be the main urban reservoir of this disease. In order to improve the efficacy of control measures, it is essential to assess the transmission capacity of Leishmania infantum to the sand fly vector by naturally infected dogs. The present study investigated the existence of correlations between canine clinical presentation and the intensity of parasite load in the blood, skin and spleen of naturally infected dogs. In addition, we also attempted to establish correlations between the intensity of parasite load in canine tissue and the parasite load detected in sandflies five days after feeding on naturally infected dogs. A total of 23 dogs were examined and classified according to clinical manifestation of canine VL. Blood samples, splenic aspirate and skin biopsies were collected and parasite DNA was quantified by qPCR. Canine capacity to infect Lu. longipalpis with parasites was evaluated by xenodiagnosis and parasite loads were measured five days after feeding. No significant differences were observed with respect to canine clinical manifestation and the parasite loads detected in the blood, skin and spleen samples obtained from naturally infected dogs. Regardless of clinical canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) presentation and the degree of parasite burden, almost half of the dogs successfully infected sandflies with parasites, albeit to a low number of sandflies with correspondingly low parasite loads. Parasite loads in both canine blood and skin were shown to be positively correlated with the canine infectiousness to the sand fly vector, and positive correlations were also observed with respect to these tissues and the sand fly infection rate, as well as the parasite load detected in sandflies following xenodiagnosis. In conclusion, this indicates that parasite loads in both blood and skin can function as potentially reliable markers of canine capacity to infect sand fly vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lairton Souza Borja
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Orlando Marcos Farias de Sousa
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Manuela da Silva Solcà
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Leila Andrade Bastos
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Bordoni
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Jairo Torres Magalhães
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Avenida Adhemar de Barros, 500, Ondina, 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Daniela Farias Larangeira
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Avenida Adhemar de Barros, 500, Ondina, 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Stella Maria Barrouin-Melo
- Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Avenida Adhemar de Barros, 500, Ondina, 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Deborah Bittencourt Mothé Fraga
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Escola de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Avenida Adhemar de Barros, 500, Ondina, 40170-110 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, INCT - DT, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Sampaio Tavares Veras
- Laboratório de Patologia e Biointervenção, Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, INCT - DT, Bahia, Brazil.
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Caljon G, Van Reet N, De Trez C, Vermeersch M, Pérez-Morga D, Van Den Abbeele J. The Dermis as a Delivery Site of Trypanosoma brucei for Tsetse Flies. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005744. [PMID: 27441553 PMCID: PMC4956260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of Trypanosoma brucei parasites that cause sleeping sickness. Our knowledge on the early interface between the infective metacyclic forms and the mammalian host skin is currently highly limited. Glossina morsitans flies infected with fluorescently tagged T. brucei parasites were used in this study to initiate natural infections in mice. Metacyclic trypanosomes were found to be highly infectious through the intradermal route in sharp contrast with blood stream form trypanosomes. Parasite emigration from the dermal inoculation site resulted in detectable parasite levels in the draining lymph nodes within 18 hours and in the peripheral blood within 42 h. A subset of parasites remained and actively proliferated in the dermis. By initiating mixed infections with differentially labeled parasites, dermal parasites were unequivocally shown to arise from the initial inoculum and not from a re-invasion from the blood circulation. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated intricate interactions of these skin-residing parasites with adipocytes in the connective tissue, entanglement by reticular fibers of the periadipocytic baskets and embedment between collagen bundles. Experimental transmission experiments combined with molecular parasite detection in blood fed flies provided evidence that dermal trypanosomes can be acquired from the inoculation site immediately after the initial transmission. High resolution thermographic imaging also revealed that intradermal parasite expansion induces elevated skin surface temperatures. Collectively, the dermis represents a delivery site of the highly infective metacyclic trypanosomes from which the host is systemically colonized and where a proliferative subpopulation remains that is physically constrained by intricate interactions with adipocytes and collagen fibrous structures. Sleeping sickness is caused by trypanosomes that are transmitted by the blood feeding tsetse flies. The present study has established an experimental transmission model with fluorescently labeled parasites in mice that allows us to study their fate following natural transmission by a tsetse fly bite. Parasites that arise in the tsetse salivary glands were found to be highly infective following inoculation in the mammalian skin in contrast with previous observations made for trypanosomes purified from the blood stream. This study unveiled that a proportion of parasites is retained in the skin and actively proliferates close to the initial inoculation site resulting in significantly elevated skin temperatures. This retention was linked to interaction with fat cells and collagen fibrous structures. Experimental transmission experiments were able to demonstrate that parasites can be acquired from the inoculation site immediately after the initial transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Caljon
- Unit of Veterinary Protozoology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Laboratory of Myeloid Cell Immunology, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Ghent, Belgium
- * E-mail: (GC); (JVDA)
| | - Nick Van Reet
- Unit of Parasite Diagnostics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Carl De Trez
- Unit of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Research Center (SBRC), VIB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marjorie Vermeersch
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - David Pérez-Morga
- Center for Microscopy and Molecular Imaging (CMMI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Jan Van Den Abbeele
- Unit of Veterinary Protozoology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), Antwerp, Belgium
- * E-mail: (GC); (JVDA)
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Mandell MA, Beverley SM. Concomitant Immunity Induced by Persistent Leishmania major Does Not Preclude Secondary Re-Infection: Implications for Genetic Exchange, Diversity and Vaccination. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004811. [PMID: 27352043 PMCID: PMC4924822 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many microbes have evolved the ability to co-exist for long periods of time within other species in the absence of overt pathology. Evolutionary biologists have proposed benefits to the microbe from 'asymptomatic persistent infections', most commonly invoking increased likelihood of transmission by longer-lived hosts. Typically asymptomatic persistent infections arise from strong containment by the immune system, accompanied by protective immunity; such 'vaccination' from overt disease in the presence of a non-sterilizing immune response is termed premunition or concomitant immunity. Here we consider another potential benefit of persistence and concomitant immunity to the parasite: the 'exclusion' of competing super-infecting strains, which would favor transmission of the original infecting organism. METHODOLOGY / PRINCIPLE FINDINGS To investigate this in the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, a superb model for the study of asymptomatic persistence, we used isogenic lines of comparable virulence bearing independent selectable markers. One was then used to infect genetically resistant mice, yielding infections which healed and progressed to asymptomatic persistent infection; these mice were then super-infected with the second marked line. As anticipated, super-infection yielded minimal pathology, showing that protective immunity against disease pathology had been established. The relative abundance of the primary and super-infecting secondary parasites was then assessed by plating on selective media. The data show clearly that super-infecting parasites were able to colonize the immune host effectively, achieving numbers comparable to and sometimes greater than that of the primary parasite. CONCLUSIONS / SIGNIFICANCE We conclude that induction of protective immunity does not guarantee the Leishmania parasite exclusive occupation of the infected host. This finding has important consequences to the maintenance and generation of parasite diversity in the natural Leishmania infectious cycle alternating between mammalian and sand fly hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Mandell
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Stephen M. Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Solano-Gallego L, Montserrrat-Sangrà S, Ordeix L, Martínez-Orellana P. Leishmania infantum-specific production of IFN-γ and IL-10 in stimulated blood from dogs with clinical leishmaniosis. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:317. [PMID: 27260142 PMCID: PMC4893235 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1598-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is limited information available on cytokine profiles in dogs with different degrees of disease severity due to natural infection of Leishmania infantum. The aim of this study was to investigate L. infantum-specific IFN-γ and IL-10 production in blood from dogs with leishmaniosis at diagnosis and correlate these findings with disease severity, humoral immune response and blood parasitemia. METHODS Sixty dogs were diagnosed based on physical examination, routine laboratory tests, L. infantum-specific antibody levels measured by quantitative ELISA and blood parasitemia by real-time PCR. Heparin whole blood was stimulated with L. infantum soluble antigen (LSA) and concanavalin A (ConA) and incubated for 5 days. IFN-γ and IL-10 concentrations were measured in supernatants with sandwich ELISAs. RESULTS The majority of dogs (n = 36) were classified as LeishVet stage II (moderate disease). The rest of the dogs were classified as stage I (n = 10), III (n = 10) and IV (n = 4). Dogs classified with stage I and IIa presented significantly higher (P = 0.02) LSA IFN-γ concentrations, lower (P <0.0001) antibody levels and a tendency for lower blood parasitemia (P = 0.1) than dogs classified with stages IIb, III or IV while no differences in ConA IFN-γ or IL-10 concentrations were observed among groups. Thirty-five dogs produced significantly higher LSA IFN-γ (mean ± SD: 2320 ± 3960 pg/ml) and ConA IFN-γ (mean ± SD: 7887 ± 7273 pg/ml) when compared with 25 dogs that did not produce detectable LSA IFN-γ but produced ConA IFN-γ (mean ± SD: 4917 ± 5233 pg/ml). IFN-γ producer dogs presented lower (mean ± SD: 5750 ± 14,082 ELISA units (EU), P = 0.001) antibody levels and blood parasitemia (mean ± SD: 5 ± 10 parasites/ml, P = 0.001) when compared with IFN-γ non-producers (mean ± SD: 19,638 ± 28,596 EU and 1100 ± 5112 parasites/ml), respectively. LSA IL-10 was not detectable in 34 dogs while 49 dogs secreted ConA IL-10 (mean ± SD of 90 ± 103 pg/ml). LSA IFN-γ concentration was negatively correlated with blood parasitemia and antibody levels and positively correlated with ConA IFN-γ and LSA IL-10 concentrations. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate that sick dogs lacking L. infantum specific IFN-γ production in stimulated whole blood produce a strong humoral response, have a high blood parasitemia and severe clinical disease. IL-10 does not appear to be a marker of disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Solano-Gallego
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Sara Montserrrat-Sangrà
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Laura Ordeix
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Pamela Martínez-Orellana
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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