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Talimi H, Retmi K, Fissoune R, Lemrani M. Artificial Intelligence in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Diagnosis: Current Developments and Future Perspectives. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:963. [PMID: 38732377 PMCID: PMC11083257 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14090963] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a major global health problem requiring appropriate diagnosis methods. Its diagnosis is challenging, particularly in resource-limited settings. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into medical diagnostics has shown promising results in various fields, including dermatology. In this systematic review, we aim to highlight the value of using AI for CL diagnosis and the AI-based algorithms that are employed in this process, and to identify gaps that need to be addressed. Our work highlights that only a limited number of studies are related to using AI algorithms for CL diagnosis. Among these studies, seven gaps were identified for future research. Addressing these considerations will pave the way for the development of robust AI systems and encourage more research in CL detection by AI. This could contribute to improving CL diagnosis and, ultimately, healthcare outcomes in CL-endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasnaa Talimi
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca 20360, Morocco;
- Systems and Data Engineering Team, National School of Applied Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essaadi, Tangier 93000, Morocco;
| | - Kawtar Retmi
- Institute of Biological Sciences (ISSB-P), Mohammed VI Polytechnique University, Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco;
| | - Rachida Fissoune
- Systems and Data Engineering Team, National School of Applied Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essaadi, Tangier 93000, Morocco;
| | - Meryem Lemrani
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca 20360, Morocco;
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Patiño LH, Ballesteros N, Muñoz M, Jaimes J, Castillo-Castañeda AC, Madigan R, Paniz-Mondolfi A, Ramírez JD. Validation of Oxford nanopore sequencing for improved New World Leishmania species identification via analysis of 70-kDA heat shock protein. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:458. [PMID: 38111024 PMCID: PMC10726620 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06073-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by obligate intracellular protozoa of the genus Leishmania. This infection is characterized by a wide range of clinical manifestations, with symptoms greatly dependent on the causal parasitic species. Here we present the design and application of a new 70-kDa heat shock protein gene (hsp70)-based marker of 771 bp (HSP70-Long). We evaluated its sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic performance employing an amplicon-based MinION™ DNA sequencing assay to identify different Leishmania species in clinical samples from humans and reservoirs with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). We also conducted a comparative analysis between our novel marker and a previously published HSP70 marker known as HSP70-Short, which spans 330 bp. METHODS A dataset of 27 samples from Colombia, Venezuela and the USA was assembled, of which 26 samples were collected from humans, dogs and cats affected by CL and one sample was collected from a dog with VL in the USA (but originally from Greece). DNA was extracted from each sample and underwent conventional PCR amplification utilizing two distinct HSP70 markers: HSP70-Short and HSP70-Long. The subsequent products were then sequenced using the MinION™ sequencing platform. RESULTS The results highlight the distinct characteristics of the newly devised HSP70-Long primer, showcasing the notable specificity of this primer, although its sensitivity is lower than that of the HSP70-Short marker. Notably, both markers demonstrated strong discriminatory capabilities, not only in distinguishing between different species within the Leishmania genus but also in identifying instances of coinfection. CONCLUSIONS This study underscores the outstanding specificity and effectiveness of HSP70-based MinION™ sequencing, in successfully discriminating between diverse Leishmania species and identifying coinfection events within samples sourced from leishmaniasis cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz Helena Patiño
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Nathalia Ballesteros
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jesús Jaimes
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana C Castillo-Castañeda
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Roy Madigan
- Animal Hospital of Smithson Valley, 286 Singing Oaks, Ste 113, Spring Branch, TX, 78070, USA
| | - Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia.
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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Filgueira CPB, Pitta-Pereira D, Cantanhêde LM, Ferreira GEM, Dos Reis S, Cupolillo E, Moreira OC, Britto C, Boité MC. HRM Accuracy and Limitations as a Species Typing Tool for Leishmania Parasites. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14784. [PMID: 37834232 PMCID: PMC10573552 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
High Resolution Melting Analysis (HRM) has been pointed out as a suitable alternative method to detect and identify Leishmania species. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and limitations of a HSP70-HRM protocol both as a diagnostic scheme applied in clinical samples and as a species typing tool for laboratory research and reference services. Our data reveal the pronounced species-typing potential of the HSP70-HRM in DNA from cultured parasites. For clinical samples, however, we advise caution due to parasite load-dependent accuracy. In light of these findings and considering the importance of parasite load determination for clinical and research purposes, we recommend the integration of the presented typing scheme and the previously published Leishmania quantifying approach as combined tools for clinicians, surveillance, and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Patricio Braga Filgueira
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (C.P.B.F.); (L.M.C.); (E.C.)
| | - Daniela Pitta-Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Pavilhão Leônidas Deane, Sala 209, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil; (D.P.-P.); (C.B.)
| | - Lilian Motta Cantanhêde
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (C.P.B.F.); (L.M.C.); (E.C.)
- Laboratório de EpiGenética, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Porto Velho 76812-245, Brazil; (G.E.M.F.); (S.D.R.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho 76812-100, Brazil
| | | | - Sayonara Dos Reis
- Laboratório de EpiGenética, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Porto Velho 76812-245, Brazil; (G.E.M.F.); (S.D.R.)
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (C.P.B.F.); (L.M.C.); (E.C.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho 76812-100, Brazil
| | - Otacilio C. Moreira
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Parasitology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Constança Britto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Pavilhão Leônidas Deane, Sala 209, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Brazil; (D.P.-P.); (C.B.)
| | - Mariana Côrtes Boité
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil; (C.P.B.F.); (L.M.C.); (E.C.)
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Santana MCDO, Chourabi K, Cantanhêde LM, Cupolillo E. Exploring Host-Specificity: Untangling the Relationship between Leishmania ( Viannia) Species and Its Endosymbiont Leishmania RNA Virus 1. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2295. [PMID: 37764139 PMCID: PMC10535429 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A relevant aspect in the epidemiology of Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (TL) are the Leishmania parasites carrying a viral endosymbiont, Leishmania RNA Virus 1 (LRV1), a dsRNA virus. Leishmania parasites carrying LRV1 are prone to causing more severe TL symptoms, increasing the likelihood of unfavorable clinical outcomes. LRV1 has been observed in the cultured strains of five L. (Viannia) species, and host specificity was suggested when studying the LRV1 from L. braziliensis and L. guyanensis strains. The coevolution hypothesis of LRV1 and Leishmania was based on phylogenetic analyses, implying an association between LRV1 genotypes, Leishmania species, and their geographic origins. This study aimed to investigate LRV1 specificity relative to Leishmania (Viannia) species hosts by analyzing LRV1 from L. (Viannia) species. To this end, LRV1 was screened in L. (Viannia) species other than L. braziliensis or L. guyanensis, and it was detected in 11 out of 15 L. naiffi and two out of four L. shawi. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial LRV1 genomic sequencing supported the hypothesis of host specificity, as LRV1 clustered according to their respective Leishmania species' hosts. These findings underscore the importance of investigating Leishmania and LRV1 coevolution and its impact on Leishmania (Viannia) species dispersion and pathogenesis in the American Continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara Cristhine de Oliveira Santana
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040360, Brazil; (M.C.d.O.S.); (L.M.C.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho 76812100, Brazil
| | - Khaled Chourabi
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040360, Brazil; (M.C.d.O.S.); (L.M.C.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho 76812100, Brazil
| | - Lilian Motta Cantanhêde
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040360, Brazil; (M.C.d.O.S.); (L.M.C.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho 76812100, Brazil
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040360, Brazil; (M.C.d.O.S.); (L.M.C.)
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho 76812100, Brazil
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Calvopiña M, Fonseca-Carrera D, Villacrés-Granda I, Toapanta A, Chiluisa-Guacho C, Bastidas-Caldes C. New Primers for Detection and Differentiation between Leishmania viannia and L. leishmania Subgenera by Polymerase Chain Reaction. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2023; 18:351-361. [PMID: 37886249 PMCID: PMC10597875 DOI: 10.18502/ijpa.v18i3.13758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Leishmania is the parasitic protozoan responsible for leishmaniases, a disease that can cause a range of cutaneous, mucosal, and visceral infections. Two subgenera L. Viannia and L. Leishmania are known to infect humans in the tropics and subtropics of the Americas. The aim of the present study was to develop a new pair of primers for the two subgenera and test in clinical samples. Methods We designed two new pairs of primers for a PCR method from two conserved genes, cysteine proteinase B (cpb) and N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosfate deacetylase-like protein (nagA), as specific markers for those two respective subgenera. Primers were tested with 16 microscopical positive clinical samples from the Amazon region of Ecuador obtained in 2010-2020 period. Results The cpb presented a band of 172 bp and the nagA a band of 300 bp, thus clearly differentiating L. viannia from L. leishmania. Additionally, primers identified and differentiated the clinical samples in the two subgenera. Conclusion The new primers targeting different two genes and standardized in a PCR assay could identified and differentiated Leishmania parasites at subgenus level. This protocol could be used for Leishmania genus identification and diagnosis at the subgenus level and for determining the parasite's geographical distribution where different Leishmania subgenera are found in the same area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Calvopiña
- One Health Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
| | - David Fonseca-Carrera
- Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences (FICA), Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Irina Villacrés-Granda
- Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences (FICA), Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Alberto Toapanta
- Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences (FICA), Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Carlos Chiluisa-Guacho
- National Institute for Investigation in Public Health “Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez (INSPI)”, Tena, Ecuador
| | - Carlos Bastidas-Caldes
- One Health Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
- Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences (FICA), Universidad de las Américas (UDLA), Quito, Ecuador
- Doctoral Program in Public and Animal Health, Universidad de Extremadura, Extremadura, Spain
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Cantanhêde LM, Cupolillo E. Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi Lainson & Shaw 1989. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:194. [PMID: 37291682 PMCID: PMC10251559 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05814-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Just over 30 years ago, a new species of Leishmania of the subgenus Leishmania (Viannia) was described infecting the armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus; then, a report of human infection followed. From the Brazilian Amazon and apparently restricted to this region and its close borders, Leishmania (Viannia) naiffi has been characterized as a species that grows easily in axenic culture medium and causes few to no lesions after inoculation in experimental animal models. Results in the last decade indicate the occurrence of L. naiffi in vectors and human infections, including a report of therapeutic failure possibly associated with Leishmania RNA virus 1. Overall, such accounts suggest that the parasite is more dispersed and the disease less self-healing than previously expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Motta Cantanhêde
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Brazil
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Leishmaniasis Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental, INCT EpiAmO, Porto Velho, Brazil
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El Mazini S, Barhoumi M, Mhaidi I, Daoui O, Kbaich MA, El Kacem S, El Idrissi Saik I, Riyad M, Bekhti K, Guizani I, Lemrani M. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Leishmania infantum in Morocco as Revealed by Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) Approach. Pathogens 2023; 12:785. [PMID: 37375475 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060785] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania infantum is endemic in Morocco, and it causes both visceral (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). In this study, the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach was used to investigate the phylogeny and population structure of Leishmania infantum strains isolated from CL and VL patients and the canine reservoir in different leishmaniasis endemic foci in Morocco. For this purpose, eight loci (pgm, alat, me, fh, g6pd, pgd, gpi and cytb) were amplified in 40 samples, out of which 31 were successfully sequenced. The genetic diversity analysis detected a high degree of intraspecific genetic variability among the studied strains. The phylogenetic and the haplotype analyses showed that most of the strains from the same geographical areas clustered together. The recombination among Leishmania infantum strains was revealed through a splits tree analysis and the number of recombination events. Moreover, the assessment of the gene flow between Leishmania infantum and Leishmania tropica through phylogenetic analysis and haplotype diversity in two endemic foci where the two species were sympatric showed no genetic exchange between the two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara El Mazini
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
- Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive Molecules, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fes 30000, Morocco
| | - Mourad Barhoumi
- Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology (MEEP)/ LR16IPT04, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, B.P. 74, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Idris Mhaidi
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
| | - Othmane Daoui
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
| | - Mouad Ait Kbaich
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
| | - Sofia El Kacem
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
| | - Imane El Idrissi Saik
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Research Team on Immunopathology of Infectious and Systemic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca 21100, Morocco
| | - Myriam Riyad
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathology, Research Team on Immunopathology of Infectious and Systemic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca 21100, Morocco
| | - Khadija Bekhti
- Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive Molecules, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fes 30000, Morocco
| | - Ikram Guizani
- Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology (MEEP)/ LR16IPT04, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, B.P. 74, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Meryem Lemrani
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Morocco, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
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Llanes A, Cruz G, Morán M, Vega C, Pineda VJ, Ríos M, Penagos H, Suárez JA, Saldaña A, Lleonart R, Restrepo CM. Genomic diversity and genetic variation of Leishmania panamensis within its endemic range. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 103:105342. [PMID: 35878820 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Species belonging to the Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus are important causative agents of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Central and South America. These parasites possess several distinctive biological features that are influenced by their genetics, population structure, and genome instability. To date, several studies have revealed varying degrees of genetic diversity within Leishmania species. Particularly, in species of the L. (Viannia) subgenus, a generalized high intraspecific genetic diversity has been reported, although, conflicting conclusions have been drawn using different molecular techniques. Despite being the most common Leishmania species circulating in Panama and Colombia, few studies have analyzed clinical samples of Leishmania panamensis using whole-genome sequencing, and their restricted number of samples has limited the information they can provide to understand the population structure of L. panamensis. Here, we used next generation sequencing (NGS) to explore the genetic diversity of L. panamensis within its endemic range, analyzing data from 43 isolates of Colombian and Panamanian origin. Our results show the occurrence of three well-defined geographically correlated groups, and suggests the possible occurrence of additional phylogeographic groups. Furthermore, these results support the existence of a mixed mode of reproduction in L. panamensis, with varying frequencies of events of genetic recombination occurring primarily within subpopulations of closely related strains. This study offers important insights into the population genetics and reproduction mode of L. panamensis, paving the way to better understand their population structure and the emergence and maintenance of key eco-epidemiological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Llanes
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Génesis Cruz
- Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Mitchelle Morán
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Carlos Vega
- Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Exactas y Tecnología, Universidad de Panamá, Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Vanessa J Pineda
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Margarita Ríos
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Homero Penagos
- Hospital Regional Dr. Rafael Hernández, Caja de Seguro Social, David, Chiriquí, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - José A Suárez
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Azael Saldaña
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama
| | - Ricardo Lleonart
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama.
| | - Carlos M Restrepo
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular de Enfermedades, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama, Panama; Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SNI-SENACYT), Panama City, Panama, Panama.
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9
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Solana JC, Chicharro C, García E, Aguado B, Moreno J, Requena JM. Assembly of a Large Collection of Maxicircle Sequences and Their Usefulness for Leishmania Taxonomy and Strain Typing. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061070. [PMID: 35741832 PMCID: PMC9222942 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites of medical importance, such as Leishmania and Trypanosoma, are characterized by the presence of thousands of circular DNA molecules forming a structure known as kinetoplast, within the mitochondria. The maxicircles, which are equivalent to the mitochondrial genome in other eukaryotes, have been proposed as a promising phylogenetic marker. Using whole-DNA sequencing data, it is also possible to assemble maxicircle sequences as shown here and in previous works. In this study, based on data available in public databases and using a bioinformatics workflow previously reported by our group, we assembled the complete coding region of the maxicircles for 26 prototypical strains of trypanosomatid species. Phylogenetic analysis based on this dataset resulted in a robust tree showing an accurate taxonomy of kinetoplastids, which was also able to discern between closely related Leishmania species that are usually difficult to discriminate by classical methodologies. In addition, we provide a dataset of the maxicircle sequences of 60 Leishmania infantum field isolates from America, Western Europe, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. In agreement with previous studies, our data indicate that L. infantum parasites from Brazil are highly homogeneous and closely related to European strains, which were transferred there during the discovery of America. However, this study showed the existence of different L. infantum populations/clades within the Mediterranean region. A maxicircle signature for each clade has been established. Interestingly, two L. infantum clades were found coexisting in the same region of Spain, one similar to the American strains, represented by the Spanish JPCM5 reference strain, and the other, named “non-JPC like”, may be related to an important leishmaniasis outbreak that occurred in Madrid a few years ago. In conclusion, the maxicircle sequence emerges as a robust molecular marker for phylogenetic analysis and species typing within the kinetoplastids, which also has the potential to discriminate intraspecific variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Carlos Solana
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Biología Molecular (IUBM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (C.C.); (E.G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Chicharro
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (C.C.); (E.G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilia García
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (C.C.); (E.G.)
| | - Begoña Aguado
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Genomic and NGS Facility (GENGS), 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Javier Moreno
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain; (C.C.); (E.G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.); (J.M.R.)
| | - Jose M. Requena
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto Universitario de Biología Molecular (IUBM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.); (J.M.R.)
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10
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Leishmania and the Model of Predominant Clonal Evolution. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112409. [PMID: 34835534 PMCID: PMC8620605 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
As it is the case for other pathogenic microorganisms, the respective impact of clonality and genetic exchange on Leishmania natural populations has been the object of lively debates since the early 1980s. The predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model states that genetic exchange in these parasites’ natural populations may have a high relevance on an evolutionary scale, but is not sufficient to erase a persistent phylogenetic signal and the existence of bifurcating trees. Recent data based on high-resolution markers and genomic polymorphisms fully confirm the PCE model down to a microevolutionary level.
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11
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Espada CR, Ferreira BA, Ortiz PA, Uliana SRB, Coelho AC. Full nucleotide sequencing of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer of Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil and its potential for species typing. Acta Trop 2021; 223:106093. [PMID: 34389323 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Species-specific diagnosis still represents a challenge in leishmaniasis management, particularly in regions with multiple endemic species. In Brazil, seven species have been recognized as etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The disease comprises complex clinical presentation patterns, classified as localized, diffuse, disseminated and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study, we characterized the full nucleotide sequence of a region comprising the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 and 5.8 S gene of reference strains of Leishmania (Viannia) species reported as causative agents of human leishmaniasis in Brazil. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of this region was able to discriminate species in the Leishmania (Viannia) subgenus and to determine intra- and interspecies phylogenetic relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline R Espada
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bianca A Ferreira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Paola A Ortiz
- Departamento de Biologia, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Tolima, Tolima, Colombia
| | - Silvia R B Uliana
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriano C Coelho
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
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12
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Pereira LOR, Sousa CS, Ramos HCP, Torres-Santos EC, Pinheiro LS, Alves MR, Cuervo P, Romero GAS, Boité MC, Porrozzi R, Cupolillo E. Insights from Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis in vitro behavior and intercellular communication. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:556. [PMID: 34711290 PMCID: PMC8554959 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05057-x] [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: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pentavalent antimonial-based chemotherapy is the first-line approach for leishmaniasis treatment and disease control. Nevertheless antimony-resistant parasites have been reported in some endemic regions. Treatment refractoriness is complex and is associated with patient- and parasite-related variables. Although amastigotes are the parasite stage in the vertebrate host and, thus, exposed to the drug, the stress caused by trivalent antimony in promastigotes has been shown to promote significant modification in expression of several genes involved in various biological processes, which will ultimately affect parasite behavior. Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis is one of the main etiological agents in the Amazon Basin region, with a high relapse rate (approximately 25%). METHODS Herein, we conducted several in vitro analyses with L. (V.) guyanensis strains derived from cured and refractory patients after treatment with standardized antimonial therapeutic schemes, in addition to a drug-resistant in vitro-selected strain. Drug sensitivity assessed through Sb(III) half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) assays, growth patterns (with and without drug pressure) and metacyclic-like percentages were determined for all strains and compared to treatment outcomes. Finally, co-cultivation without intercellular contact was followed by parasitic density and Sb(III) IC50 measurements. RESULTS Poor treatment response was correlated with increased Sb(III) IC50 values. The decrease in drug sensitivity was associated with a reduced cell replication rate, increased in vitro growth ability, and higher metacyclic-like proportion. Additionally, in vitro co-cultivation assays demonstrated that intercellular communication enabled lower drug sensitivity and enhanced in vitro growth ability, regardless of direct cell contact. CONCLUSIONS Data concerning drug sensitivity in the Viannia subgenus are emerging, and L. (V.) guyanensis plays a pivotal epidemiological role in Latin America. Therefore, investigating the parasitic features potentially related to relapses is urgent. Altogether, the data presented here indicate that all tested strains of L. (V.) guyanensis displayed an association between treatment outcome and in vitro parameters, especially the drug sensitivity. Remarkably, sharing enhanced growth ability and decreased drug sensitivity, without intercellular communication, were demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza O R Pereira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Cíntia S Sousa
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hellen C P Ramos
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Liliane S Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tripanossomatídeos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto de Saúde e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Campus Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Marcelo R Alves
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em DST-AIDS, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Cuervo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana C Boité
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renato Porrozzi
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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13
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Marzochi MCDA, Marzochi KBF, Fagundes A, Schubach ADO, Miranda LDFC, Pacheco RDS. Anthropogenic Dispersal of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in the Americas: A Plausible Hypothesis. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2021.723017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There are several gaps in our knowledge on the origin and spread of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, an etiological agent of cutaneous and mucocutaneous or American tegumentary leishmaniasis, to different biomes, hosts, and vectors, with important epidemiological implications, including the possible existence of an anthroponotic component. Historical, biological, and epidemiological evidence suggests that Leishmania (V.) braziliensis and its variants were preexistent in Amazonia with great genetic variability, where they dispersed with less variability to other regions (clonal expansion). During pre-Columbian times the parasite may have been transported by migrating humans and probably also their dogs, from western Amazonia to the high inter-Andean valleys and from there to other regions of South America. The same thing could have happened later, in the same way, when it spread to non-Amazonian regions of Brazil and other countries of South and Central America, between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the so-called Rubber Boom and construction of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway in the Brazilian Amazon, by migrant workers who later returned to their places of origin, transporting the agent. The parasite’s dispersal in genetic correlated clusters, involving unexpectedly distinct ecosystems in Brazil (Amazonian, Cerrado, Caatinga and Atlantic Forest biomes), has continued until the present through human displacement. The infection of certain species of domestic, synanthropic and even wild animals, could be secondary to anthropogenic introduction of L. (V.) braziliensis in new environments. We admit the same phenomena happening in the probable transference of Leishmania infantum (visceral leishmaniasis), and of Yersinia pestis (plague) from the Old world to the New world, generating domestic and wild enzotic cycles from these agents. These assumptions associated with human infections, chronicity and parasite persistence with possibility of recovery of Leishmania in peripheral blood, skin and scars of cured or asymptomatic patients, (that may provide an alternative blood meal), along with the sand flies’ adaptation to the peri-domicile and the high susceptibility of domestic dogs, horses, mules and cats to the parasite, can reinforce the evidence of anthropogenic spread of L. (V.) braziliensis.
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14
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Torrico MC, Fernández-Arévalo A, Ballart C, Solano M, Rojas E, Ariza E, Tebar S, Lozano D, Abras A, Gascón J, Picado A, Muñoz C, Torrico F, Gállego M. Tegumentary leishmaniasis by Leishmania braziliensis complex in Cochabamba, Bolivia including the presence of L. braziliensis outlier: Tegumentary leishmaniasis in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:2242-2255. [PMID: 34232559 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoans of the Leishmania genus, which includes more than 20 species capable of infecting humans worldwide. In the Americas, the most widespread specie is L. braziliensis, present in 18 countries including Bolivia. The taxonomic position of the L. braziliensis complex has been a subject of controversy, complicated further by the recent identification of a particular subpopulation named L. braziliensis atypical or outlier. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic analysis of the L. braziliensis complex in Bolivia and to describe the associated clinical characteristics. Forty-one strains were analyzed by sequencing an amplified 1245 bp fragment of the hsp70 gene, which allowed its identification as: 24 (59%) L. braziliensis, 16 (39%) L. braziliensis outlier, and one (2%) L. peruviana. In a dendrogram constructed, L. braziliensis and L. peruviana are grouped in the same cluster, whilst L. braziliensis outlier appears in a separate branch. Sequence alignment allowed the identification of five non-polymorphic nucleotide positions (288, 297, 642, 993, and 1213) that discriminate L. braziliensis and L. peruviana from L. braziliensis outlier. Moreover, nucleotide positions 51 and 561 enable L. peruviana to be discriminated from the other two taxa. A greater diversity was observed in L. braziliensis outlier than in L. braziliensis-L. peruviana. The 41 strains came from 32 patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis, among which 22 patients (69%) presented cutaneous lesions (11 caused by L. braziliensis and 11 by L. braziliensis outlier) and 10 patients (31%) mucocutaneous lesions (eight caused by L. braziliensis, one by L. braziliensis outlier, and one by L. peruviana). Nine patients (28%) simultaneously provided two isolates, each from a separate lesion, and in each case the same genotype was identified in both. Treatment failure was observed in six patients infected with L. braziliensis and one patient with L. peruviana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Cruz Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Fernández-Arévalo
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Ballart
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Solano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Ernesto Rojas
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Eva Ariza
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Tebar
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Lozano
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Alba Abras
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,Laboratori d'Ictiologia Genètica, Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Gascón
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Picado
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Muñoz
- Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Faustino Torrico
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Fundación CEADES y Medio Ambiente, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Montserrat Gállego
- Secció de Parasitología, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
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15
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Bamorovat M, Sharifi I, Tavakoli Oliaee R, Jafarzadeh A, Khosravi A. Determinants of Unresponsiveness to Treatment in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Focus on Anthroponotic Form Due to Leishmania tropica. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:638957. [PMID: 34140933 PMCID: PMC8203913 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.638957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a curable disease; however, due to various risk factors, unresponsiveness to CL treatments is inevitable. The treatment of CL has been firmly correlated with multiple determinants, such as demographical, clinical, and environmental factors, the host’s immune response, poor treatment adherence, the parasite’s genetic make-up, and Leishmania RNA virus. This study primarily focuses on the risk factors associated with different therapeutic outcomes following meglumine antimoniate (MA; Glucantime®) treatment and policy approaches to prevent unresponsiveness in CL patients with a focus on anthroponotic form (ACL). Findings suggest that effective preventive and therapeutic measures should be more vigorously implemented, particularly in endemic areas. Accordingly, extensive training is essential to monitor drug unresponsiveness regularly, especially in tropical regions where the disease is prevalent. Since humans are the fundamental reservoir host of ACL due to L. tropica, prompt detection, early diagnosis, and timely and effective treatment could help control this disease. Furthermore, major challenges and gaps remain: efficacious vaccine, new tools, and expert staff are crucial before CL can be definitively controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Bamorovat
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Iraj Sharifi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | - Abdollah Jafarzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ahmad Khosravi
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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16
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Lima ACS, Gomes CMC, Tomokane TY, Campos MB, Zampieri RA, Jorge CL, Laurenti MD, Silveira FT, Corbett CEP, Floeter-Winter LM. Molecular tools confirm natural Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis/L. (V.) shawi hybrids causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Amazon region of Brazil. Genet Mol Biol 2021; 44:e20200123. [PMID: 33949621 PMCID: PMC8108439 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2020-0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Seven isolates from patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Amazon region of Brazil were phenotypically suggestive of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis/L. (V.) shawi hybrids. In this work, two molecular targets were employed to check the hybrid identity of the putative hybrids. Heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) gene sequences were analyzed by three different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approaches, and two different patterns of inherited hsp70 alleles were found. Three isolates presented heterozygous L. (V.) guyanensis/L. (V.) shawi patterns, and four presented homozygous hsp70 patterns involving only L. (V.) shawi alleles. The amplicon sequences confirmed the RFLP patterns. The high-resolution melting method detected variant heterozygous and homozygous profiles. Single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping/cleaved amplified polymorphic site analysis suggested a higher contribution from L. (V.) guyanensis in hsp70 heterozygous hybrids. Additionally, PCR-RFLP analysis targeting the enzyme mannose phosphate isomerase (mpi) gene indicated heterozygous and homozygous cleavage patterns for L. (V.) shawi and L. (V.) guyanensis, corroborating the hsp70 findings. In this communication, we present molecular findings based on partial informative regions of the coding sequences of hsp70 and mpi as markers confirming that some of the parasite strains from the Brazilian Amazon region are indeed hybrids between L. (V.) guyanensis and L. (V.) shawi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina S Lima
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Ministério da Saúde, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Claudia Maria C Gomes
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thaise Y Tomokane
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marliane Batista Campos
- Ministério da Saúde, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Ricardo A Zampieri
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Fisiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina L Jorge
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Fisiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcia D Laurenti
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando T Silveira
- Ministério da Saúde, Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo P Corbett
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Patologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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17
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The Maze Pathway of Coevolution: A Critical Review over the Leishmania and Its Endosymbiotic History. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050657. [PMID: 33925663 PMCID: PMC8146029 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The description of the genus Leishmania as the causative agent of leishmaniasis occurred in the modern age. However, evolutionary studies suggest that the origin of Leishmania can be traced back to the Mesozoic era. Subsequently, during its evolutionary process, it achieved worldwide dispersion predating the breakup of the Gondwana supercontinent. It is assumed that this parasite evolved from monoxenic Trypanosomatidae. Phylogenetic studies locate dixenous Leishmania in a well-supported clade, in the recently named subfamily Leishmaniinae, which also includes monoxenous trypanosomatids. Virus-like particles have been reported in many species of this family. To date, several Leishmania species have been reported to be infected by Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) and Leishbunyavirus (LBV). Since the first descriptions of LRVs decades ago, differences in their genomic structures have been highlighted, leading to the designation of LRV1 in L. (Viannia) species and LRV2 in L. (Leishmania) species. There are strong indications that viruses that infect Leishmania spp. have the ability to enhance parasitic survival in humans as well as in experimental infections, through highly complex and specialized mechanisms. Phylogenetic analyses of these viruses have shown that their genomic differences correlate with the parasite species infected, suggesting a coevolutionary process. Herein, we will explore what has been described in the literature regarding the relationship between Leishmania and endosymbiotic Leishmania viruses and what is known about this association that could contribute to discussions about the worldwide dispersion of Leishmania.
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18
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Antileishmanial Activity of Lignans, Neolignans, and Other Plant Phenols. PROGRESS IN THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC NATURAL PRODUCTS 2021; 115:115-176. [PMID: 33797642 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-64853-4_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Secondary metabolites (SM) from organisms have served medicinal chemists over the past two centuries as an almost inexhaustible pool of new drugs, drug-like skeletons, and chemical probes that have been used in the "hunt" for new biologically active molecules with a "beneficial effect on human mind and body." Several secondary metabolites, or their derivatives, have been found to be the answer in the quest to search for new approaches to treat or even eradicate many types of diseases that oppress humanity. A special place among SM is occupied by lignans and neolignans. These phenolic compounds are generated biosynthetically via radical coupling of two phenylpropanoid monomers, and are known for their multitarget activity and low toxicity. The disadvantage of the relatively low specificity of phenylpropanoid-based SM turns into an advantage when structural modifications of these skeletons are made. Indeed, phenylpropanoid-based SM previously have proven to offer great potential as a starting point in drug development. Compounds such as Warfarin® (a coumarin-based anticoagulant) as well as etoposide and teniposide (podophyllotoxin-based anticancer drugs) are just a few examples. At the beginning of the third decade of the twenty-first century, the call for the treatment of more than a dozen rare or previously "neglected" diseases remains for various reasons unanswered. Leishmaniasis, a neglected disease that desperately needs new ways of treatment, is just one of these. This disease is caused by more than 20 leishmanial parasites that are pathogenic to humans and are spread by as many as 800 sandfly species across subtropical areas of the world. With continuing climate changes, the presence of Leishmania parasites and therefore leishmaniasis, the disease caused by these parasites, is spreading from previous locations to new areas. Thus, leishmaniasis is affecting each year a larger proportion of the world's population. The choice of appropriate leishmaniasis treatment depends on the severity of the disease and its form of manifestation. The success of current drug therapy is often limited, due in most cases to requiring long hospitalization periods (weeks to months) and the toxicity (side effects) of administered drugs, in addition to the increasing resistance of the parasites to treatment. It is thus important to develop new drugs and treatments that are less toxic, can overcome drug resistance, and require shorter periods of treatment. These aspects are especially important for the populations of developing countries. It was reported that several phenylpropanoid-based secondary metabolites manifest interesting antileishmanial activities and are used by various indigenous people to treat leishmaniasis. In this chapter, the authors shed some light on the various biological activities of phenylpropanoid natural products, with the main focus being on their possible applications in the context of antileishmanial treatment.
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Gedda MR, Madhukar P, Shukla A, Mudavath SL, Srivastava ON, Singh OP, Sundar S. Nanodiagnostics in leishmaniasis: A new frontiers for early elimination. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 13:e1675. [PMID: 33142369 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is still a major public health concern in developing countries having the highest outbreak and mortality potential. While the treatment of VL has greatly improved in recent times, the current diagnostic tools are limited for use in the post-elimination setting. Although conventional serological methods of detection are rapid, they can only differentiate between active disease in strict combination with clinical criteria, and thus are not sufficient enough to diagnose relapse patients. Therefore, there is a dire need for a portable, authentic, and reliable assay that does not require large space, specialized instrument facilities, or highly trained laboratory personnel and can be carried out in primary health care settings. Advances in the nanodiagnostic approaches have led to the expansion of new frontiers in the concerned area. The nanosized particles are blessed with an ability to interact one-on-one with the biomolecules because of their unique optical and physicochemical properties and high surface area to volume ratio. Biomolecular detection systems based on nanoparticles (NPs) are cost-effective, rapid, nongel, non-PCR, and nonculture based that provide fast, one-step, and reliable results with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. In this review, we discuss different NPs that are being used for the identification of molecular markers and other biomarkers, such as toxins and antigens associated with leishmaniasis. The most promising diagnostic approaches have been included in the article, and the ability of biomolecular recognition, advantages, and disadvantages have been discussed in detail to showcase the enormous potential of nanodiagnostics in human and veterinary medicine. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallikarjuna Rao Gedda
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.,Center for Cellular Engineering, NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Prasoon Madhukar
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Ashish Shukla
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Shyam Lal Mudavath
- Infectious Disease Biology Laboratory, Chemical Biology Unit, Institute of Nano Science & Technology, Habitat Centre, Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Onkar Nath Srivastava
- Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Om Prakash Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Shyam Sundar
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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Reimão JQ, Coser EM, Lee MR, Coelho AC. Laboratory Diagnosis of Cutaneous and Visceral Leishmaniasis: Current and Future Methods. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1632. [PMID: 33105784 PMCID: PMC7690623 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease with two main clinical forms: cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Diagnosis of leishmaniasis is still a challenge, concerning the detection and correct identification of the species of the parasite, mainly in endemic areas where the absence of appropriate resources is still a problem. Most accessible methods for diagnosis, particularly in these areas, do not include the identification of each one of more than 20 species responsible for the disease. Here, we summarize the main methods used for the detection and identification of leishmaniasis that can be performed by demonstration of the parasite in biological samples from the patient through microscopic examination, by in vitro culture or animal inoculation; by molecular methods through the detection of parasite DNA; or by immunological methods through the detection of parasite antigens that may be present in urine or through the detection of specific antibodies against the parasite. Potential new methods that can be applied for laboratory diagnosis of leishmaniasis are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Quero Reimão
- Departamento de Morfologia e Patologia Básica, Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí 13202-550, Brazil; (J.Q.R.); (M.R.L.)
| | - Elizabeth Magiolo Coser
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Brazil;
| | - Monica Ran Lee
- Departamento de Morfologia e Patologia Básica, Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí 13202-550, Brazil; (J.Q.R.); (M.R.L.)
| | - Adriano Cappellazzo Coelho
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-862, Brazil;
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Hosseini M, Nateghi Rostami M, Hosseini Doust R, Khamesipour A. Multilocus sequence typing analysis of Leishmania clinical isolates from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients of Iran. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 85:104533. [PMID: 32919066 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is mainly caused by L. major and L. tropica in Old World and might be represented as typical skin lesion(s) or sometimes as a spectrum of atypical manifestations. We applied multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to explore genetic variations of Leishmania strains isolated from atypical vs. typical CL patients from Iran. A PCR-sequencing was performed for seven housekeeping genes (g6pd, mpi, asat, icd, 6pgd, fh, and trys) and genetic diversity indices and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed. A total of 41 isolates of L. major (28/41) and L. tropica (13/41) from 21 (51.2%) atypical CL and 20 (48.8%) typical CL cases were included. A set of additional sequences of 41 strains of 17 species of Leishmania were retrieved from databases. Different SNP variations were detected and the highest rate of heterozygous sites was found in g6pd and 6pgd genes (6 sites) for L. tropica and in asat and 6pgd genes (7 sites) for L. major strains. All strains were clustered into 58 unique sequence types (STs) including 17 STs related to 41 strains of Leishmania of this study. Concatenated tree clustered all strains in 6 main clades (A to F) including L. major (clade D) and L. tropica (clade B) strains. Two strains of L. major (codes 28 and 42) with highest nucleotide variations were more close to L. tropica and were grouped in Clade B. All of the STs were related in clonal complexes by using eBURST with the prediction of founder genotypes. A high rate of genetic variations and heterozygocity was evident in L. tropica and L. major strains; nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the diversity of Leishmania strains between typical CL and atypical CL groups. This study represents the first successful application of MLST approach to L. tropica and L. major strains in Iran.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoure Hosseini
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Reza Hosseini Doust
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Khamesipour
- Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Pinho N, Wiśniewski JR, Dias-Lopes G, Saboia-Vahia L, Bombaça ACS, Mesquita-Rodrigues C, Menna-Barreto R, Cupolillo E, de Jesus JB, Padrón G, Cuervo P. In-depth quantitative proteomics uncovers specie-specific metabolic programs in Leishmania (Viannia) species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008509. [PMID: 32804927 PMCID: PMC7451982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania species are responsible for a broad spectrum of diseases, denominated Leishmaniasis, affecting over 12 million people worldwide. During the last decade, there have been impressive efforts for sequencing the genome of most of the pathogenic Leishmania spp. as well as hundreds of strains, but large-scale proteomics analyses did not follow these achievements and the Leishmania proteome remained mostly uncharacterized. Here, we report a comprehensive comparative study of the proteomes of strains representing L. braziliensis, L. panamensis and L. guyanensis species. Proteins extracted by SDS-mediated lysis were processed following the multi-enzyme digestion-filter aided sample preparation (FASP) procedure and analysed by high accuracy mass spectrometry. "Total Protein Approach" and "Proteomic Ruler" were applied for absolute quantification of proteins. Principal component analysis demonstrated very high reproducibility among biological replicates and a very clear differentiation of the three species. Our dataset comprises near 7000 proteins, representing the most complete Leishmania proteome yet known, and provides a comprehensive quantitative picture of the proteomes of the three species in terms of protein concentration and copy numbers. Analysis of the abundance of proteins from the major energy metabolic processes allow us to highlight remarkably differences among the species and suggest that these parasites depend on distinct energy substrates to obtain ATP. Whereas L. braziliensis relies the more on glycolysis, L. panamensis and L. guyanensis seem to depend mainly on mitochondrial respiration. These results were confirmed by biochemical assays showing opposite profiles for glucose uptake and O2 consumption in these species. In addition, we provide quantitative data about different membrane proteins, transporters, and lipids, all of which contribute for significant species-specific differences and provide rich substrate for explore new molecules for diagnosing purposes. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017696.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia Pinho
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jacek R. Wiśniewski
- Biochemical Proteomics Group, Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Geovane Dias-Lopes
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Saboia-Vahia
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Rubem Menna-Barreto
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jose Batista de Jesus
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina–Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Dom Bosco, São João del Rei, MG, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Padrón
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patricia Cuervo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Lauthier JJ, Ruybal P, Barroso PA, Hashiguchi Y, Marco JD, Korenaga M. Development of a Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for Pan-Leishmania. Acta Trop 2020; 201:105189. [PMID: 31580847 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Since the description of the Leishmania genus, its identification and organization have been a challenge. A high number of molecular markers have been developed to resolve phylogenetic differences at the species level and for addressing key epidemiological and population genetics questions. Based on Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE), Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) schemes have been developed using different gene candidates. From 38 original gene targets proposed by other authors, 27 of them were chosen. In silico selection was made by analyzing free access genomic sequence data of 33 Leishmania species, one Paraleishmania representative, and one outgroup, in order to select the best 15 loci. De novo amplifications and primers redesign of these 15 genes were analyzed over a panel of 20 reference strains and isolates. Phylogenetic analysis was made at every step. Two MLST schemes were selected. The first one was based on the analysis of three-gene fragments, and it is suitable for species assignment as well as basic phylogenetic studies. By the addition of seven-genes, an approach based on the analysis of ten-gene fragments was also proposed. This is the first work that two optimized MLST schemes have been suggested, validated against a phylogenetically diverse panel of Leishmania isolates. MLST is potentially a powerful phylogenetic approach, and most probably the new gold standard for Leishmania spp. characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jose Lauthier
- Parasitology Department, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Okocho Kohasu, Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture 783-8505, Japan.
| | - Paula Ruybal
- Universidad de Buenos Aires. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM). Facultad de Medicina. Paraguay 2155 Piso: 12, CABA (1121). Argentina
| | - Paola Andrea Barroso
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta / CONICET, Salta, Argentina
| | - Yoshihisa Hashiguchi
- Parasitology Department, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Okocho Kohasu, Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture 783-8505, Japan; Departamento de Parasitología y Medicina Tropical, Carrera de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Jorge Diego Marco
- Instituto de Patología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Salta / CONICET, Salta, Argentina
| | - Masataka Korenaga
- Parasitology Department, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Okocho Kohasu, Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture 783-8505, Japan.
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Miranda LDFC, Pacheco RDS, Pimentel MIF, Salgueiro MDM, da Silva AF, de Mello CX, Barros JHDS, Valete-Rosalino CM, Madeira MDF, Xavier SCDC, Schubach ADO. Geospatial analysis of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil from 2000 to 2015: Species typing and flow of travelers and migrants with leishmaniasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007748. [PMID: 31730650 PMCID: PMC6857848 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We identified the species of Leishmania isolated from traveling and migrant patients attended in a reference center from 2000 to 2015, we performed the georeferencing of these species in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) state and we had knowledge about the human flows between the likely location of infection (LLI) and place of residence (PR) in RJ state, Brazil. Methodology/Principal findings This is a retrospective cross-sectional study including 171 patients diagnosed with ATL. Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, and Bing Maps were tools used to georeference LLI and PR. For etiological identification, we used isoenzyme electrophoresis, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (molecular target hsp70C with restriction enzymes HaeIII and BstUI), and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA. ARCGIS software was used to create maps of the geographic distribution of Leishmania species in the state and municipality of RJ, together with flows between the LLI and PR. Isolates from 104 patients were identified as: L. (Viannia) braziliensis (80.8%), L. (V.) naiffi (7.7%), L. (V.) guyanensis (6.7%), L. (Leishmania) amazonensis (1%), and genetic variants of L. (V.) braziliensis (3.8%). The flow maps showed that the LLI included 4 countries, 19 Brazilian states, and 18 municipalities of RJ state. The Brazilian states with the highest density of cases were Amazonas (n = 32), Bahia (n = 18), and Ceará (n = 15). Conclusions/Significance This work is the first contribution to the knowledge of the routes of Leishmania species introduced in RJ state by migrants and travelers patients. L. (V.) braziliensis, L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (V.) naiffi, L. (L.) amazonensis, and genetic variants of L. (V.) braziliensis were identified in RJ state. To determine whether the autochthonous transmission of these imported species is possible it is necessary the adaptation of these species to environmental conditions as well as the presence of reservoirs and phlebotomine vectors in this region. Leishmaniasis is one of the most important neglected parasitic diseases in humans worldwide. American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) is a disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which are injected into the skin by small insects known by sandflies. Many different Leishmania species may cause ATL, which can affect the skin and/or oral and nasal mucosa. In this study, we analyzed flows between the likely location of infection (LLI) and the place of residence (PR) in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) state and identified Leishmania species isolated from travelers and migrants attended between 2000 and 2015 in a reference hospital for the care of patients with ATL. This work is the first contribution to knowledge about the routes of Leishmania species introduced to RJ state by migrant and traveling patients. In addition to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, which was the most common species, other species have also been introduced to RJ state, including L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (V.) naiffi, L. (Leishmania) amazonensis, and genetic variants of L. (V.) braziliensis. Knowledge of the migratory flow and geographic location of these imported Leishmania species may contribute to the surveillance and control of ATL in RJ state, Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana de Freitas Campos Miranda
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Raquel da Silva Pacheco
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Inês Fernandes Pimentel
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mariza de Matos Salgueiro
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline Fagundes da Silva
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Cíntia Xavier de Mello
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia Maria Valete-Rosalino
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria de Fátima Madeira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Armando de Oliveira Schubach
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica e Vigilância em Leishmanioses, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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S. L. Figueiredo de Sá B, Rezende AM, de Melo Neto OP, de Brito MEF, Brandão Filho SP. Identification of divergent Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis ecotypes derived from a geographically restricted area through whole genome analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007382. [PMID: 31170148 PMCID: PMC6581274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania braziliensis, the main etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Latin America, is characterized by major differences in basic biology in comparison with better-known Leishmania species. It is also associated with a high phenotypic and possibly genetic diversity that need to be more adequately defined. Here we used whole genome sequences to evaluate the genetic diversity of ten L. braziliensis isolates from a CL endemic area from Northeastern Brazil, previously classified by Multi Locus Enzyme Electrophoresis (MLEE) into ten distinct zymodemes. These sequences were first mapped using the L. braziliensis M2904 reference genome followed by identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). A substantial level of diversity was observed when compared with the reference genome, with SNP counts ranging from ~95,000 to ~131,000 for the different isolates. When the genome data was used to infer relationship between isolates, those belonging to zymodemes Z72/Z75, recovered from forested environments, were found to cluster separately from the others, generally associated with more urban environments. Among the remaining isolates, those from zymodemes Z74/Z106 were also found to form a separate group. Phylogenetic analyses were also performed using Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis from genes coding for four metabolic enzymes used for MLEE as well as the gene sequence coding for the Hsp70 heat shock protein. All 10 isolates were firmly identified as L. braziliensis, including the zymodeme Z26 isolate previously classified as Leishmania shawi, with the clustering into three groups confirmed. Aneuploidy was also investigated but found in general restricted to chromosome 31, with a single isolate, from zymodeme Z27, characterized by extra copies for other chromosomes. Noteworthy, both Z72 and Z75 isolates are characterized by a much reduced heterozygosity. Our data is consistent with the existence of distinct evolutionary groups in the restricted area sampled and a substantial genetic diversity within L. braziliensis. Leishmania braziliensis is the main etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Latin America. In the Pernambuco state, a highly endemic area for CL in Northeastern Brazil, ten zymodemes have been previously described, identified through the detection of variations in the mobility of selected enzymes on gel electrophoresis (MLEE). Here we used next-generation genome sequencing to reevaluate the genetic diversity and relatedness between isolates representing these zymodemes. The genetic analysis clustered these isolates into three distinct phylogenetic groups, with those circulating in forested environments more related to each other (Z72 and Z75) and separated from the other eight isolates from more urbanized environments, but nevertheless forming two further groups. All ten isolates were definitely identified as L. braziliensis, including one from zymodeme Z26, previously identified as L. shawi through MLEE. Chromosome copy number variation was observed in all isolates studied, but restricted mainly to chromosome 31, with a single isolate (from zymodeme Z27) showing more than two copies of other chromosomes. A low heterozygosity observed only for both Z72/Z75 isolates also confirm differences associated with them. Our findings confirm that MLEE, despite still being considered the gold standard for characterization of Leishmania spp., does not reflect relevant information on intra-specific variations. It also highlights the substantial diversity observed between L. braziliensis isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna S. L. Figueiredo de Sá
- Department of Microbiology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute/FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- * E-mail: (BSLFdS); (SPBF)
| | - Antonio M. Rezende
- Department of Microbiology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute/FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | | | - Sinval P. Brandão Filho
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute -FIOCRUZ, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- * E-mail: (BSLFdS); (SPBF)
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Kaufer A, Barratt J, Stark D, Ellis J. The complete coding region of the maxicircle as a superior phylogenetic marker for exploring evolutionary relationships between members of the Leishmaniinae. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 70:90-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Cantanhêde LM, Mattos CB, de Souza Ronconi C, Filgueira CPB, da Silva Júnior CF, Limeira C, de Jesus Silva HP, Ferreira GEM, Porrozzi R, Ferreira RDGM, Cupolillo E. First report of Leishmania (Viannia) lindenbergi causing tegumentary leishmaniasis in the Brazilian western Amazon region. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:30. [PMID: 31120019 PMCID: PMC6532396 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2019030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (TL) in the Brazilian Amazon region is associated with several Leishmania species. In this report, we describe two cases of TL related to Leishmania lindenbergi occurring in different locations of Rondônia state. After clinical diagnosis, lesion samples were collected for parasitological diagnoses via direct microscopic visualization, parasite isolation, and PCR. PCR reactions were positive in both clinical samples. Parasite isolation was possible for both patients, and isolates were submitted to species identification by isoenzyme electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. This report is the first to describe human infections caused by L. lindenbergi since the initial description and record of human infection by this species in 2002.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Claudino Limeira
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | | | | | - Renato Porrozzi
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, IOC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, IOC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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28
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Banu SS, Meyer W, Ferreira-Paim K, Wang Q, Kuhls K, Cupolillo E, Schönian G, Lee R. A novel multilocus sequence typing scheme identifying genetic diversity amongst Leishmania donovani isolates from a genetically homogeneous population in the Indian subcontinent. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:555-567. [PMID: 31108098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In the Indian subcontinent, infection with Leishmania donovani can cause fatal visceral leishmaniasis. Genetic variation in L. donovani is believed to occur rapidly from environmental changes and through selective drug pressures, thereby allowing continued disease occurrence in this region. All previous molecular markers that are commonly in use multilocus microsatellite typing and multilocus sequence typing, were monomorphic in L. donovani originating from the Indian subcontinent (with only a few exceptions) and hence are not suitable for this region. An multilocus sequence typing scheme consisting of a new set of seven housekeeping genes was developed in this study, based on recent findings from whole genome sequencing data. This new scheme was used to assess the genetic diversity amongst 22 autochthonous L. donovani isolates from Bangladesh. Nineteen additional isolates of the L. donovani complex (including sequences of L. donovani reference strain BPK282A1) from other countries were included for comparison. By using restriction fragment length polymorphism of the internal transcribed spacer 1 region (ITS1-RFLP) and ITS1 sequencing, all Bangladeshi isolates were confirmed to be L. donovani. Population genetic analyses of 41 isolates using the seven new MLST loci clearly separated L. donovani from Leishmania infantum. With this multilocus sequence typing scheme, seven genotypes were identified amongst Bangladeshi L. donovani isolates, and these isolates were found to be phylogenetically different compared with those from India, Nepal, Iraq and Africa. This novel multilocus sequence typing approach can detect intra- and inter-species variations within the L. donovani complex, but most importantly these molecular markers can be applied to resolve the phylogenetically very homogeneous L. donovani strains from the Indian subcontinent. Four of these markers were found suitable to differentiate strains originating from Bangladesh, with marker A2P being the most discriminative one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultana Shahana Banu
- Parasitology Department, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services (CIDMLS), Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Westmead Clinical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead Hospital (Research and Education Network), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Wieland Meyer
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Westmead Clinical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead Hospital (Research and Education Network), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kennio Ferreira-Paim
- Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Westmead Clinical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead Hospital (Research and Education Network), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Brazil
| | - Qinning Wang
- Parasitology Department, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services (CIDMLS), Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katrin Kuhls
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Laboratory on Leishmaniasis Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute - Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriele Schönian
- Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene CC05, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rogan Lee
- Parasitology Department, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services (CIDMLS), Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Westmead Clinical School, Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead Hospital (Research and Education Network), The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Abstract
Phylogenetics is an important component of the systems biology approach. Knowledge about evolution of the genus Leishmania is essential to understand various aspects of basic biology of these parasites, such as parasite-host or parasite-vector relationships, biogeography, or epidemiology. Here, we present a comprehensive guideline for performing phylogenetic studies based on DNA sequence data, but with principles that can be adapted to protein sequences or other molecular markers. It is presented as a compilation of the most commonly used genetic targets for phylogenetic studies of Leishmania, including their respective primers for amplification and references, as well as details of PCR assays. Guidelines are, then, presented to choose the best targets in relation to the types of samples under study. Finally, and importantly, instructions are given to obtain optimal sequences, alignments, and datasets for the subsequent data analysis and phylogenetic inference. Different bioinformatics methods and software for phylogenetic inference are presented and explained. This chapter aims to provide a compilation of methods and generic guidelines to conduct phylogenetics of Leishmania for nonspecialists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Kuhls
- Molekulare Biotechnologie und Funktionelle Genomik, Technische Hochschule Wildau, Wildau, Germany.
| | - Isabel Mauricio
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
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Genomic Analysis of Colombian Leishmania panamensis strains with different level of virulence. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17336. [PMID: 30478412 PMCID: PMC6255768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35778-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of Leishmania infection in mammalian hosts and the subsequent manifestation of clinical symptoms require internalization into macrophages, immune evasion and parasite survival and replication. Although many of the genes involved in these processes have been described, the genetic and genomic variability associated to differences in virulence is largely unknown. Here we present the genomic variation of four Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis strains exhibiting different levels of virulence in BALB/c mice and its application to predict novel genes related to virulence. De novo DNA sequencing and assembly of the most virulent strain allowed comparative genomics analysis with sequenced L. (Viannia) panamensis and L. (Viannia) braziliensis strains, and showed important variations at intra and interspecific levels. Moreover, the mutation detection and a CNV search revealed both base and structural genomic variation within the species. Interestingly, we found differences in the copy number and protein diversity of some genes previously related to virulence. Several machine-learning approaches were applied to combine previous knowledge with features derived from genomic variation and predict a curated set of 66 novel genes related to virulence. These genes can be prioritized for validation experiments and could potentially become promising drug and immune targets for the development of novel prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.
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31
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Zahirnia AH, Bordbar A, Ebrahimi S, Spotin A, Mohammadi S, Ghafari SM, Ahmadvand S, Jabbari N, Esmaeili Rastaghi AR, Parvizi P. Predominance of Leishmania major and rare occurrence of Leishmania tropica with haplotype variability at the center of Iran. Braz J Infect Dis 2018; 22:278-287. [PMID: 30114384 PMCID: PMC9427796 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmania major is a causative agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in the center of Iran, Abarkouh district. Molecular characterization and precise incrimination of Leishmania species was carried out to perform controlling measurements and to design treatment programs for zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODS All smears isolated from ulcers of suspected patients were examined under a light microscope and graded for amastigotes frequency. Extraction of DNA, PCR, RFLP and sequencing of ITS-rDNA genotype were done to increase the efficacy of Leishmania parasites identification at their species-specific level and to detect any Leishmania infections within. RESULTS Humans were found to be infected with L. major with high infection frequency and also Leishmania tropica was identified with low occurrence for the first time as non-native species using molecular analyses. The rates of infections was considerable with microscopic observation (n = 65, 73%) out of 89 smears prepared from suspected patients. Molecular analyses showed that the density of L. major was significantly higher (n = 48, 53.93%) than L. tropica (n = 4, 4.49%) (Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.05) and two samples (2.25%) remained ambiguous after several sequencing. L. major did not have diversity with two common haplotypes but L. tropica were found to exhibit high diversity with three novel haplotypes. CONCLUSION L. major was considered the causative agent of leishmaniasis in the region, but the identification of a non-native L. tropica revealed the importance of further isolation of Leishmania parasites following molecular analyses and confirmation, and also revealed the importance of further isolation of Leishmania parasites from patients of the field areas who do not have easily access to health care centers for specialized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Zahirnia
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran; Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Entomology, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Ali Bordbar
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Ebrahimi
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
| | - Adel Spotin
- Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Immunology Research Center, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Somayeh Mohammadi
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Maryam Ghafari
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
| | - Setareh Ahmadvand
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
| | - Negar Jabbari
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Parviz Parvizi
- Pasteur Institute of Iran, Parasitology Department, Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Tehran, Iran.
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32
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Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a deadly parasitic disease, is a major public health concern globally. Countries affected by VL have signed the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases and committed to eliminate VL as a public health problem by 2020. To achieve and sustain VL elimination, it will become progressively important not to miss any remaining cases in the community who can maintain transmission. This requires accurate identification of symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers using highly sensitive diagnostic tools at the primary health service setting. The rK39 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is the most widely used tool and with its good sensitivity and specificity is the first choice for decentralized diagnosis of VL in endemic areas. However, this test cannot discriminate between current, subclinical, or past infections and is useless for diagnosis of relapses and as a prognostic (cure) test. Importantly, as the goal of elimination of VL as a public health problem is approaching, the number of people susceptible to infection will increase. Therefore, correct diagnosis using a highly sensitive diagnostic test is crucial for applying appropriate treatment and management of cases. Recent advances in molecular techniques have improved Leishmania detection and quantification, and therefore this technology has become increasingly relevant due to its possible application in a variety of clinical sample types. Most importantly, given current problems in identifying asymptomatic individuals because of poor correlation between the main methods of detection, molecular tests are valuable for VL elimination programs, especially to monitor changes in burden of infection in specific communities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the available VL diagnostics and discusses the usefulness of molecular methods in the diagnosis, quantification, and species differentiation as well as their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Sundar
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221 005, India
| | - Om Prakash Singh
- Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221 005, India.
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33
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Cantanhêde LM, Fernandes FG, Ferreira GEM, Porrozzi R, Ferreira RDGM, Cupolillo E. New insights into the genetic diversity of Leishmania RNA Virus 1 and its species-specific relationship with Leishmania parasites. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198727. [PMID: 29912912 PMCID: PMC6005476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic disease that manifests in infected individuals under different phenotypes, with a range of factors contributing to its broad clinical spectrum. One factor, Leishmania RNA Virus 1 (LRV1), has been described as an endosymbiont present in different species of Leishmania. LRV1 significantly worsens the lesion, exacerbating the immune response in both experimentally infected animals and infected individuals. Little is known about the composition and genetic diversity of these viruses. Here, we investigated the relationship between the genetic composition of LRV1 detected in strains of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and L. (V.) guyanensis and the interaction between the endosymbiont and the parasitic species, analyzing an approximately 850 base pair region of the viral genome. We also included one LRV1 sequence detected in L. (V.) shawi, representing the first report of LRV1 in a species other than L. braziliensis and L. guyanensis. The results illustrate the genetic diversity of the LRV1 strains analyzed here, with smaller divergences detected among viral sequences from the same parasite species. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the LRV1 sequences are grouped according to the parasite species and possibly according to the population of the parasite in which the virus was detected, corroborating the hypothesis of joint evolution of the viruses with the speciation of Leishmania parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Motta Cantanhêde
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia Genética, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | - Flavia Gonçalves Fernandes
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia Genética, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Unidade Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil
| | | | - Renato Porrozzi
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmaniose, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmaniose, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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34
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Coughlan S, Taylor AS, Feane E, Sanders M, Schonian G, Cotton JA, Downing T. Leishmania naiffi and Leishmania guyanensis reference genomes highlight genome structure and gene evolution in the Viannia subgenus. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:172212. [PMID: 29765675 PMCID: PMC5936940 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The unicellular protozoan parasite Leishmania causes the neglected tropical disease leishmaniasis, affecting 12 million people in 98 countries. In South America, where the Viannia subgenus predominates, so far only L. (Viannia) braziliensis and L. (V.) panamensis have been sequenced, assembled and annotated as reference genomes. Addressing this deficit in molecular information can inform species typing, epidemiological monitoring and clinical treatment. Here, L. (V.) naiffi and L. (V.) guyanensis genomic DNA was sequenced to assemble these two genomes as draft references from short sequence reads. The methods used were tested using short sequence reads for L. braziliensis M2904 against its published reference as a comparison. This assembly and annotation pipeline identified 70 additional genes not annotated on the original M2904 reference. Phylogenetic and evolutionary comparisons of L. guyanensis and L. naiffi with 10 other Viannia genomes revealed four traits common to all Viannia: aneuploidy, 22 orthologous groups of genes absent in other Leishmania subgenera, elevated TATE transposon copies and a high NADH-dependent fumarate reductase gene copy number. Within the Viannia, there were limited structural changes in genome architecture specific to individual species: a 45 Kb amplification on chromosome 34 was present in all bar L. lainsoni, L. naiffi had a higher copy number of the virulence factor leishmanolysin, and laboratory isolate L. shawi M8408 had a possible minichromosome derived from the 3' end of chromosome 34. This combination of genome assembly, phylogenetics and comparative analysis across an extended panel of diverse Viannia has uncovered new insights into the origin and evolution of this subgenus and can help improve diagnostics for leishmaniasis surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Coughlan
- School of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland
| | - Ali Shirley Taylor
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Eoghan Feane
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | | | | | | | - Tim Downing
- School of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
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35
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Espada CR, Ortiz PA, Shaw JJ, Barral AMP, Costa JML, Uliana SRB, Coelho AC. Identification of Leishmania (Viannia) species and clinical isolates of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis from Brazil using PCR-RFLP of the heat-shock protein 70 gene reveals some unexpected observations. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 91:312-318. [PMID: 29653798 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Hsp70 is a cytoplasmic heat-shock protein, encoded by a multicopy tandemly repeated gene that has recently been gaining popularity as a valuable marker for typing Leishmania species. In this study, we used a previously described hsp70 PCR-RFLP method for identifying Brazilian Leishmania isolates. We identified two distinct L. (L.) amazonensis hsp70 alleles that resulted in two different RFLP patterns. Also, we found RFLP polymorphisms amongst L. (Viannia) naiffi strains. The profiles of both L. (V.) shawi and L. (V.) lindenbergi were very similar to those of other L. (Viannia) species. The observations described herein reflect the polymorphism found within species of Leishmania and indicate that results from this hsp70 PCR-RFLP method should be used with caution when typing isolates from clinical cases of leishmaniasis and Leishmania species from Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline R Espada
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Paola A Ortiz
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Jeffrey J Shaw
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Aldina M P Barral
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, 40296-710, BA, Brazil
| | - Jackson M L Costa
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, 40296-710, BA, Brazil
| | - Silvia R B Uliana
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriano C Coelho
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, SP, Brazil.
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36
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Leishmania tropica isolates from non-healed and healed patients in Iran: A molecular typing and phylogenetic analysis. Microb Pathog 2018; 116:124-129. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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37
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Bilbao-Ramos P, Dea-Ayuela MA, Cardenas-Alegría O, Salamanca E, Santalla-Vargas JA, Benito C, Flores N, Bolás-Fernández F. Leishmaniasis in the major endemic region of Plurinational State of Bolivia: Species identification, phylogeography and drug susceptibility implications. Acta Trop 2017; 176:150-161. [PMID: 28751163 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The Plurinational State of Bolivia is one of the Latin American countries with the highest prevalence of leishmaniasis, highlighting the lowlands of the Department of La Paz where about 50% of the total cases were reported. The control of the disease can be seriously compromised by the intrinsic variability of the circulating species that may limit the efficacy of treatment while favoring the emergence of resistance. Fifty-five isolates of Leishmania from cutaneous and mucocutaneous lesions from patients living in different provinces of the Department of La Paz were tested. Molecular characterization of isolates was carried out by 3 classical markers: the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1), the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt-b). These markers were amplified by PCR and their products digested by the restriction endonuclease enzymes AseI and HaeIII followed by subsequent sequencing of Cyt-b gene and ITS-1 region for subsequent phylogenetic analysis. The combined use of these 3 markers allowed us to assign 36 isolates (65.5%) to the complex Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, 4 isolates (7, 27%) to L. (Viannia) lainsoni. and the remaining 15 isolates (23.7%) to a local variant of L. (Leishmania) mexicana. Concerning in vitro drug susceptibility the amastigotes from all isolates where highly sensitive to Fungizone® (mean IC50 between 0.23 and 0.5μg/mL) whereas against Glucantime® the sensitivity was moderate (mean IC50 ranging from 50.84μg/mL for L. (V.) braziliensis to 18.23μg/mL for L. (L.) mexicana. L. (V.) lainsoni was not sensitive to Glucantime®. The susceptibility to miltefosine was highly variable among species isolates, being L. (L.) mexicana the most sensitive, followed by L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) lainsoni (mean IC50 of 8.24μg/mL, 17.85μg/mL and 23.28μg/mL, respectively).
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38
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Lachaud L, Fernández-Arévalo A, Normand AC, Lami P, Nabet C, Donnadieu JL, Piarroux M, Djenad F, Cassagne C, Ravel C, Tebar S, Llovet T, Blanchet D, Demar M, Harrat Z, Aoun K, Bastien P, Muñoz C, Gállego M, Piarroux R. Identification of Leishmania by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry Using a Free Web-Based Application and a Dedicated Mass-Spectral Library. J Clin Microbiol 2017; 55:2924-2933. [PMID: 28724559 PMCID: PMC5625378 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00845-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Human leishmaniases are widespread diseases with different clinical forms caused by about 20 species within the Leishmania genus. Leishmania species identification is relevant for therapeutic management and prognosis, especially for cutaneous and mucocutaneous forms. Several methods are available to identify Leishmania species from culture, but they have not been standardized for the majority of the currently described species, with the exception of multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. Moreover, these techniques are expensive, time-consuming, and not available in all laboratories. Within the last decade, mass spectrometry (MS) has been adapted for the identification of microorganisms, including Leishmania However, no commercial reference mass-spectral database is available. In this study, a reference mass-spectral library (MSL) for Leishmania isolates, accessible through a free Web-based application (mass-spectral identification [MSI]), was constructed and tested. It includes mass-spectral data for 33 different Leishmania species, including species that infect humans, animals, and phlebotomine vectors. Four laboratories on two continents evaluated the performance of MSI using 268 samples, 231 of which were Leishmania strains. All Leishmania strains, but one, were correctly identified at least to the complex level. A risk of species misidentification within the Leishmania donovani, L. guyanensis, and L. braziliensis complexes was observed, as previously reported for other techniques. The tested application was reliable, with identification results being comparable to those obtained with reference methods but with a more favorable cost-efficiency ratio. This free online identification system relies on a scalable database and can be implemented directly in users' computers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Lachaud
- Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence des Leishmanioses, Université de Montpellier, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Anna Fernández-Arévalo
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Center of International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anne-Cécile Normand
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CHU Timone, Université d'Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Patrick Lami
- Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence des Leishmanioses, Université de Montpellier, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Cécile Nabet
- Laboratoire Hospitalo-Universitaire de Parasito-Mycologie, EA 3593, EPaT Ecosystèmes Amazoniens et Pathologie Tropicale, Université de Guyane, Laboratoire Associé au CNR Leishmania, Cayenne, France
| | | | - Martine Piarroux
- Université Aix-Marseille, INSERM-IRD-AMU UMR 912, Marseille, France
| | - Farid Djenad
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CHU Timone, Université d'Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Carole Cassagne
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CHU Timone, Université d'Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Ravel
- Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence des Leishmanioses, Université de Montpellier, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Silvia Tebar
- Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Llovet
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Denis Blanchet
- Laboratoire Hospitalo-Universitaire de Parasito-Mycologie, EA 3593, EPaT Ecosystèmes Amazoniens et Pathologie Tropicale, Université de Guyane, Laboratoire Associé au CNR Leishmania, Cayenne, France
| | - Magalie Demar
- Laboratoire Hospitalo-Universitaire de Parasito-Mycologie, EA 3593, EPaT Ecosystèmes Amazoniens et Pathologie Tropicale, Université de Guyane, Laboratoire Associé au CNR Leishmania, Cayenne, France
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Laboratoire d'Eco-Épidemiologie Parasitaire et Génétique des Populations, Institut Pasteur d'Algerie, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Karim Aoun
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie Médicale, Biotechnologies et Biomolécules, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Patrick Bastien
- Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Centre National de Référence des Leishmanioses, Université de Montpellier, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Carmen Muñoz
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Montserrat Gállego
- Secció de Parasitologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Center of International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Renaud Piarroux
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, CHU Timone, Université d'Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France
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Herrera G, Hernández C, Ayala MS, Flórez C, Teherán AA, Ramírez JD. Evaluation of a Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) scheme for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis in Colombia. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:236. [PMID: 28499458 PMCID: PMC5429539 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2175-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniases are parasitic vector-borne diseases affecting more than 12 million people in 98 countries. In Colombia, leishmaniasis is widespread and the most common clinical manifestation is cutaneous, mainly caused by L. panamensis and L. braziliensis. Currently, the genetic diversity of these species in Colombia is unknown. To address this, we applied molecular techniques for their characterization, using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to explore the genetic variability and phylodynamics of the disease. Methods Seven previously described genetic markers were selected highlighting the implementation of a mitochondrial marker. Markers were applied to 163 samples from isolates obtained between 1980 and 2001. Results The identification of the samples showed an excellent correlation with typing tests previously applied (MLEE, monoclonal antibodies). Isolates of L. braziliensis showed greater genetic diversity than L. panamensis, and a greater number of diploid sequence types (DSTs). In addition, the geographical distribution of DSTs for each species were obtained through georeferencing maps. Conclusions To our knowldge, this study represents the first description of the genetic variability of L. panamensis in Colombia and South America, and is the first to propose a scheme of MLST for epidemiological surveillance of leishmaniasis in the country. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2175-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanny Herrera
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 No. 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Hernández
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 No. 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Martha S Ayala
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Avenida Calle 26 #51-20, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Flórez
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Avenida Calle 26 #51-20, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Aníbal A Teherán
- Residente Medicina de Emergencias, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 No. 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 No. 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Akhoundi M, Downing T, Votýpka J, Kuhls K, Lukeš J, Cannet A, Ravel C, Marty P, Delaunay P, Kasbari M, Granouillac B, Gradoni L, Sereno D. Leishmania infections: Molecular targets and diagnosis. Mol Aspects Med 2017; 57:1-29. [PMID: 28159546 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2016.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Progress in the diagnosis of leishmaniases depends on the development of effective methods and the discovery of suitable biomarkers. We propose firstly an update classification of Leishmania species and their synonymies. We demonstrate a global map highlighting the geography of known endemic Leishmania species pathogenic to humans. We summarize a complete list of techniques currently in use and discuss their advantages and limitations. The available data highlights the benefits of molecular markers in terms of their sensitivity and specificity to quantify variation from the subgeneric level to species complexes, (sub) species within complexes, and individual populations and infection foci. Each DNA-based detection method is supplied with a comprehensive description of markers and primers and proposal for a classification based on the role of each target and primer in the detection, identification and quantification of leishmaniasis infection. We outline a genome-wide map of genes informative for diagnosis that have been used for Leishmania genotyping. Furthermore, we propose a classification method based on the suitability of well-studied molecular markers for typing the 21 known Leishmania species pathogenic to humans. This can be applied to newly discovered species and to hybrid strains originating from inter-species crosses. Developing more effective and sensitive diagnostic methods and biomarkers is vital for enhancing Leishmania infection control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Akhoundi
- Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Tim Downing
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Katrin Kuhls
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada
| | - Arnaud Cannet
- Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Christophe Ravel
- French National Reference Centre on Leishmaniasis, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Marty
- Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Pascal Delaunay
- Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France; MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Mohamed Kasbari
- Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail, ANSES, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, Cedex, France
| | - Bruno Granouillac
- IRD/UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France; MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases and International Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Denis Sereno
- MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France; Intertryp UMR IRD177, Centre IRD de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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MOHAMMADI MA, BAMOROVAT M, FASIHI HARANDI M, KARIMI T, SHARIFI I, AFLATOONIAN MR. Comparison of Three PCR-based Methods for Simplicity and Cost Effectiveness Identification of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Due to Leishmania tropica. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2017; 12:215-223. [PMID: 28761481 PMCID: PMC5527031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To compare three molecular methods, PCR-RFLP for internal transcribed spacer, PCR sequencing and high resolution melting analysis shown reliable sensitivity and specificity for detecting Leishmania tropica as a model for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) as the perspective overview for scientific and economic approaches. METHODS This study was carried out between 2015 and 2016 in Leishmaniasis Research Center in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. The positives smears (n=50) were obtained from patients referred from the health clinics in a major anthroponotic CL (ACL) focus, southeastern Iran. Only smear preparations with the same grade were selected according to the method described by the WHO for future PCR assays. RESULTS All three molecular methods had capability to identify positive samples at species level with the same specificity and sensitivity. However, these techniques were different in simplicity, consuming time, and cost effectiveness. Although additional enzymatic process in PCR-RFLP provided good resolution to find Leishmania species but this would cause time and cost increases. CONCLUSION HRM (high resolution melting) is a relatively new technique that allows direct characterization of PCR amplicons in a closed system with more simplicity, cost effectiveness and time-consuming compared with other PCR-based assays for epidemiological or clinical identification purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali MOHAMMADI
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mehdi BAMOROVAT
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Majid FASIHI HARANDI
- Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Tayyebeh KARIMI
- Dept. of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Iraj SHARIFI
- Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran,Correspondence
| | - Mohammad Reza AFLATOONIAN
- Research Center for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Fotouhi-Ardakani R, Dabiri S, Ajdari S, Alimohammadian MH, AlaeeNovin E, Taleshi N, Parvizi P. Assessment of nuclear and mitochondrial genes in precise identification and analysis of genetic polymorphisms for the evaluation of Leishmania parasites. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2016; 46:33-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2016.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Tibayrenc M, Ayala FJ. Is Predominant Clonal Evolution a Common Evolutionary Adaptation to Parasitism in Pathogenic Parasitic Protozoa, Fungi, Bacteria, and Viruses? ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2016; 97:243-325. [PMID: 28325372 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We propose that predominant clonal evolution (PCE) in microbial pathogens be defined as restrained recombination on an evolutionary scale, with genetic exchange scarce enough to not break the prevalent pattern of clonal population structure. The main features of PCE are (1) strong linkage disequilibrium, (2) the widespread occurrence of stable genetic clusters blurred by occasional bouts of genetic exchange ('near-clades'), (3) the existence of a "clonality threshold", beyond which recombination is efficiently countered by PCE, and near-clades irreversibly diverge. We hypothesize that the PCE features are not mainly due to natural selection but also chiefly originate from in-built genetic properties of pathogens. We show that the PCE model obtains even in microbes that have been considered as 'highly recombining', such as Neisseria meningitidis, and that some clonality features are observed even in Plasmodium, which has been long described as panmictic. Lastly, we provide evidence that PCE features are also observed in viruses, taking into account their extremely fast genetic turnover. The PCE model provides a convenient population genetic framework for any kind of micropathogen. It makes it possible to describe convenient units of analysis (clones and near-clades) for all applied studies. Due to PCE features, these units of analysis are stable in space and time, and clearly delimited. The PCE model opens up the possibility of revisiting the problem of species definition in these organisms. We hypothesize that PCE constitutes a major evolutionary strategy for protozoa, fungi, bacteria, and viruses to adapt to parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Tibayrenc
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France
| | - F J Ayala
- University of California at Irvine, United States
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Miranda A, Samudio F, González K, Saldaña A, Brandão A, Calzada JE. Calmodulin Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism for Leishmania Identification and Typing. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:383-7. [PMID: 27352873 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
A precise identification of Leishmania species involved in human infections has epidemiological and clinical importance. Herein, we describe a preliminary validation of a restriction fragment length polymorphism assay, based on the calmodulin intergenic spacer region, as a tool for detecting and typing Leishmania species. After calmodulin amplification, the enzyme HaeIII yielded a clear distinction between reference strains of Leishmania mexicana, Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania infantum, Leishmania lainsoni, and the rest of the Viannia reference species analyzed. The closely related Viannia species: Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania panamensis, and Leishmania guyanensis, are separated in a subsequent digestion step with different restriction enzymes. We have developed a more accessible molecular protocol for Leishmania identification/typing based on the exploitation of part of the calmodulin gene. This methodology has the potential to become an additional tool for Leishmania species characterization and taxonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aracelis Miranda
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama
| | - Franklyn Samudio
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama. Laboratorio Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kadir González
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama
| | - Azael Saldaña
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama
| | - Adeilton Brandão
- Laboratorio Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jose E Calzada
- Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama.
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Ramírez JD, Hernández C, León CM, Ayala MS, Flórez C, González C. Taxonomy, diversity, temporal and geographical distribution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Colombia: A retrospective study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28266. [PMID: 27328969 PMCID: PMC4916406 DOI: 10.1038/srep28266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniases are tropical zoonotic diseases, caused by kinetoplastid parasites from the genus Leishmania. New World (NW) species are related to sylvatic cycles although urbanization processes have been reported in some South American Countries such as Colombia. Currently, few studies show the relative distribution of Leishmania species related to cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) in South America due to the lack of accurate surveillance and public health systems. Herein, we conducted a systematic estimation of the Leishmania species causing CL in Colombia from 1980 to 2001 via molecular typing and isoenzymes. A total of 327 Leishmania isolates from humans, sandflies and reservoirs were typed as L. panamensis 61.3% (201), L. braziliensis 27.1% (88), L. lainsoni 0.6% (2), L. guyanensis 0.9% (3), L. infantum chagasi 4% (12), L. equatoriensis 0.6% (2), L. mexicana 2.1% (8), L. amazonensis 2.8% (9) and L. colombiensis 0.6% (2). This is the first report of two new Leishmania species circulating in Colombia and suggests the need to convince the Colombian government about the need to deploy and standardize tools for the species identification to provide adequate management to individuals suffering this pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan David Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá-Colombia
| | | | - Cielo M. León
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá-Colombia
| | - Martha S. Ayala
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá-Colombia
| | - Carolina Flórez
- Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá-Colombia
| | - Camila González
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropica (CIMPAT), Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá-Colombia
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da Silva DJ, Borges AF, Souza PO, de Souza PR, Cardoso CRDB, Dorta ML, de Oliveira MAP, Teixeira AL, Ribeiro-Dias F. Decreased Toll-Like Receptor 2 and Toll-Like Receptor 7/8-Induced Cytokines in Parkinson's Disease Patients. Neuroimmunomodulation 2016; 23:58-66. [PMID: 26886382 DOI: 10.1159/000443238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed in several immune cells including blood monocytes and resident macrophages, such as microglia in the central nervous system. TLRs recognize pathogen- or damage-associated molecular patterns, leading to the release of inflammatory and toxic molecules, which can contribute to neuroinflammation associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to compare the potential of peripheral blood cells from PD patients or healthy subjects to produce cytokines after exposure to TLR agonists, and to investigate TLR2 and TLR4 expression on monocyte subsets. METHODS Twenty-one patients and 21 healthy controls were recruited. Patients were evaluated according to the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, and Hoehn and Yahr stage. Cytokines were measured in supernatants of whole blood cultures after incubation with TLR2, TLR4, or TLR7/8 agonists, by cytometric bead array. Expression of CD14, CD16, TLR2, and TLR4 was analyzed by cytometry. RESULTS Patient blood cells produced lower levels of cytokines in response to TLR2 and also after TLR7/8/R848 activation than controls. Percentages of CD14+CD16+ or CD14+CD16- monocytes and TLR2 and TLR4 expression were similar between patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS Blood leukocyte TLR2 and TLR7/8 responses are impaired in PD. This was neither associated with imbalance in monocyte subsets nor with TLR2/TLR4 expression on these cells. The association between a decreased TLR response in periphery and damage of brain in PD must be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delson José da Silva
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Sax00FA;de Px00FA;blica, Universidade Federal de Goix00E1;s, Goix00E2;nia, Brazil
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New Approaches to Systematics of Trypanosomatidae: Criteria for Taxonomic (Re)description. Trends Parasitol 2015; 31:460-469. [PMID: 26433249 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
While dixenous trypanosomatids represent one of the most dangerous pathogens for humans and domestic animals, their monoxenous relatives have frequently become model organisms for studies of diversity of parasitic protists and host-parasite associations. Yet, the classification of the family Trypanosomatidae is not finalized and often confusing. Here we attempt to make a blueprint for future studies in this field. We would like to elicit a discussion about an updated procedure, as traditional taxonomy was not primarily designed to be used for protists, nor can molecular phylogenetics solve all the problems alone. The current status, specific cases, and examples of generalized solutions are presented under conditions where practicality is openly favored over rigid taxonomic codes or blind phylogenetic approach.
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Identification and Biological Characterization of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis Isolated from a Patient with Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in Goiás, a Nonendemic Area for This Species in Brazil. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:350764. [PMID: 26583102 PMCID: PMC4637049 DOI: 10.1155/2015/350764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to characterize clinical field isolates of Leishmania spp. obtained from patients with American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) who live in Goiás state, Brazil. The presumed areas of infection were in Goiás, Tocantins, and Pará states. Three isolates of parasites were identified as L. (Viannia) braziliensis and one as L. (V.) guyanensis. The in vitro growth profiles were found to be similar for all parasites. Nevertheless, in C57BL/6 mice, L. (V.) guyanensis infection was better controlled than L. (V.) braziliensis. Yet in C57BL/6 mice deficient in interferon gamma, L. (V.) guyanensis lesions developed faster than those caused by L. (V.) braziliensis isolates. In BALB/c mice, the development of lesions was similar for isolates from both species; however, on the 11th week of infection, amastigotes could not be observed in macrophages from L. (V.) guyanensis-infected mice. Thus, L. (V.) guyanensis can be circulating in Goiás, a state where autochthonous cases of this species had not yet been reported. Considering the difficulties to differentiate L. (V.) guyanensis from L. (V.) braziliensis at the molecular, morphological, and clinical (human and murine models) levels, the presence of L. (V.) guyanensis infections is possibly underestimated in several regions of Brazil.
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Oliveira FMD, Costa LHC, Barros TLD, Rauschkolb Katsuda Ito PK, Colombo FA, Carvalho CD, Pedro WA, Queiroz LH, Nunes CM. First detection of Leishmania spp. DNA in Brazilian bats captured strictly in urban areas. Acta Trop 2015. [PMID: 26209107 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania spp. is a protozoan that maintains its life cycle in domestic and wild animals and it may include bats, a population that has increased in urban environments. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Leishmania spp. in bats captured strictly in urban areas that are endemic for visceral leishmaniasis. The spleen and skin samples of 488 bats from 21 endemic cities in northwestern São Paulo State, Brazil, were tested for the presence of Leishmania kDNA using real-time PCR. Differentiation from Trypanosoma spp. was achieved by amplifying a DNA fragment of the ribosomal RNA gene. The presence of Leishmania spp. kDNA was verified in 23.9% of bats and Trypanosoma spp. DNA was identified in 3.9%. Leishmania species differentiation revealed the presence of Leishmania amazonensis in 78.3% of the bats; L. infantum in 17.4%, and 1 sample (4.3%) showed a mix pattern of L. infantum and L. amazonensis. We also detected, for the first time, L. infantum and L. amazonensis DNA in Desmodus rotundus, the hematophagous bat. The presence of Leishmania spp. DNA in bats strictly from urban areas endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in the State of São Paulo, Brazil indicates that these wild and abundant animals are capable of harboring Leishmania spp. in this new scenario. Due to their longevity, high dispersion capacity and adaptability to synanthropic environments, they may play a role in the maintenance of the life cycle of Leishmania parasites.
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Di Muccio T, Scalone A, Bruno A, Marangi M, Grande R, Armignacco O, Gradoni L, Gramiccia M. Epidemiology of Imported Leishmaniasis in Italy: Implications for a European Endemic Country. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129418. [PMID: 26114938 PMCID: PMC4482607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, the number of imported leishmaniasis cases has increased in countries of Western Europe. The trend is associated with increasing travels, ecotourism activity, military operations and immigration. While in endemic countries leishmaniasis is usually well diagnosed, accurate patient history and parasite identification are necessary to distinguish between autochthonous and imported cases. This is particularly important, as new Leishmania species/genotypes may be introduced and transmitted by local phlebotomine vectors without appropriate surveillance, with unpredictable consequences. We report on the surveillance of imported leishmaniasis performed by the Leishmania Identification Reference Centre of Rome from 1986 through 2012, involving health care centres from 16/20 Italian regions. Suspected imported cases were analyzed and conclusions were based on clinical, epidemiological and diagnostic findings. Over the years, different parasite identification methods were employed, including MultiLocus Enzyme Electrophoresis and molecular techniques combining disease diagnosis (SSU rDNA nested-PCR) and Leishmania typing (nuclear repetitive sequence and ITS-1 PCR-RFLPs). A total of 105 imported cases were recorded (annual range: 0-20) of which 36 were visceral (VL) (16 HIV-coinfections) and 69 cutaneous (CL) cases; 85 cases (52 CL) were from the Old World and 20 (17 CL) from the New World. Eight Leishmania species were identified, of which 7 were exotic to Italy. VL importation until 1995 was associated with the spread of Mediterranean Leishmania-HIV co-infections in early 1990s. Following the introduction of HAART treatment, such cases became occasional in Italians but relatively frequent among immigrants. In contrast, a steady increase of CL cases was observed from different areas of the Old and New Worlds, that in recent years included mainly immigrants ‘visiting friends and relatives’ and Italian tourists. This positive trend likely depends on better diagnosis and reporting; however, we suspect that many CL cases remained unrecognized. Given the relatively low incidence of leishmaniasis importation, the risk of introduction of exotic parasites appears limited, although the detection of anthroponotic species requires attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trentina Di Muccio
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases & International Health, MIPI Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Aldo Scalone
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases & International Health, MIPI Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Bruno
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Unit of Microbiology and Virology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Massimo Marangi
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Romualdo Grande
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology Virology and Bioemergencies Diagnosis, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Luigi Gradoni
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases & International Health, MIPI Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Gramiccia
- Unit of Vector-borne Diseases & International Health, MIPI Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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