Prevalence of Genetically Complex Strains With Hybrid and Mito-Nuclear Discordance.

Approximately 20 species are known to cause cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral disorders in humans. Identification of the causative species in infected individuals is important for appropriate treatment and a favorable prognosis because infecting species are known to be the major determinant of clinical manifestations and may affect treatments for leishmaniasis. Although species have been conventionally identified by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, genetic analysis targeting kinetoplast and nuclear DNA (kDNA and nDNA, respectively) is now widely used for this purpose.

Risk factors for antimony treatment failure in American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Northwestern-Argentina.

Background: To date, there is no specific literature available on the determinants for therapeutic failure (TF) with meglumine antimoniate (MA) in Northwestern-Argentina. This study aimed to identify epidemiological, clinical, and treatment-related factors that could be involved in TF.

Methodology/principal Findings: We performed a case-control study.

Comparative Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Populations with Different Vector Competence to Parasites in Ecuador and Peru.

Differences in the gut microbial content of , a primary vector of Andean-type cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ecuador and Peru, may influence the susceptibility of these sand flies to infection by . As a first step toward addressing this hypothesis, a comparative analysis of bacterial and fungal compositions from populations with differential susceptibilities to was performed. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplification and Illumina MiSeq sequencing approaches were used to characterize the bacterial composition in wild-caught populations from the Andean areas of Ecuador and southern Peru at which the sand fly species transmit () and () , respectively, and a population from the northern Peruvian Andes at which the transmission of by has not been reported.

Nuclear and kinetoplast DNA analyses reveal genetically complex Leishmania strains with hybrid and mito-nuclear discordance in Peru.

Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the mannose phosphate isomerase (mpi) gene was applied to 134 skin samples collected from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Peru for identification of the infecting parasite at the species level, and the results were compared with those of cytochrome b (cyt b) gene sequencing obtained in previous studies. Although most results (121/134) including 4 hybrids of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and L. (V.

High performance of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for American tegumentary leishmaniasis diagnosis with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis amastigotes membrane crude antigens.

The diagnosis of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) still requires the design of more effective tools. Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is the causal agent of the 90% of Argentinean ATL cases. Considering the current knowledge, an ELISA based crude antigen (CA) for the diagnosis was designed.

Natural Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana infection and biting activity of anthropophilic sand fly Lutzomyia ayacuchensis in the Ecuadorian Andes.

To elucidate the transmission mode of Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL), natural Leishmania infection and biting activity of sand flies were tested in a selected sylvatic focus of the endemic area of the Ecuadorian Andes. Monthly sand fly collections and dissections were conducted during 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019. The Leishmania positive specimens/slides with innumerable amounts of actively mobile flagellates made us easy to detect positive sand flies.

Anthropophilic phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia species and search for the natural Leishmania infections in an area endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ecuador.

By employing protected human bait landing and modified Shannon light trap, a total of 1924 phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia spp. were captured in an area from which L. (V.

Development of a Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for Pan-Leishmania.

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.

Further insight into the geographic distribution of Leishmania species in Peru by cytochrome b and mannose phosphate isomerase gene analyses.

To obtain further insight into geographic distribution of Leishmania species in Peru, a countrywide survey, including central to southern rainforest areas where information on causative parasite species is limited, was performed based on cytochrome b (cyt b) and mannose phosphate isomerase (mpi) gene analyses. A total of 262 clinical samples were collected from patients suspected of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in 28 provinces of 13 departments, of which 99 samples were impregnated on FTA (Flinders Technology Associates) cards and 163 samples were Giemsa-stained smears. Leishmania species were successfully identified in 83 (83.

PCR-RFLP analyses of Leishmania species causing cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis revealed distribution of genetically complex strains with hybrid and mito-nuclear discordance in Ecuador.

PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analyses targeting multiple nuclear genes were established for the simple and practical identification of Leishmania species without using expensive equipment. This method was applied to 92 clinical samples collected at 33 sites in 14 provinces of Ecuador, which have been identified at the species level by the kinetoplast cytochrome b (cyt b) gene sequence analysis, and the results obtained by the two analyses were compared. Although most results corresponded between the two analyses, PCR-RFLP analyses revealed distribution of hybrid strains between Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis and L.

Leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis in north-central Pacific region of Ecuador: A clinico-epidemiological feature.

The current four year study was undertaken to investigate the clinical and epidemiological features of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis infections in Valle Hermoso, Santo Domingo de Los Tsachilas province, north-central Pacific areas of Ecuador. A total of 155 parasitologically confirmed (Leishmania-amastigote-positive) clinical cases diagnosed at a rural health center during January 2014-December 2017 were analyzed thoroughly. Molecular characterization of the causative Leishmania parasites from different endemic sites within the study areas was performed by PCR amplification of cytochrome b (cyt b) sequencing.

Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL, uta) in Peru and Ecuador: the vector Lutzomyia sand flies and reservoir mammals.

The vector Lutzomyia sand flies and reservoir host mammals of the Leishmania parasites, causing the Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL, uta) in Peru and Ecuador were thoroughly reviewed, performing a survey of literatures including our unpublished data. The Peruvian L. (V.

Salivary lipocalin family proteins from , a vector of Chagas disease.

The dataset in this report is related to the research article with the title: "Salivary gland transcripts of the kissing bug, , a vector of Chagas disease" (Kato et al., 2017) [1]. Lipocalin family proteins were identified as the dominant component in saliva, and phylogenetic analysis of the salivary lipocalins resulted in the formation of five major clades.

Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL, uta) in Peru and Ecuador: the causative Leishmania parasites and clinico-epidemiological features.

This study provides comprehensive information on the past and current status of the Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (Andean-CL, uta) in Peru and Ecuador, mainly focusing on the causative Leishmania parasites and clinico-epidemiological features. Available information and data including our unpublished works were analyzed thoroughly. Endemic regions of the Andean-CL (uta) in Peru run from the north Piura/Cajamarca to the south Ayacucho at a wide range of the Pacific watersheds of the Andes through several departments, while in Ecuador those exist at limited and spotted areas in the country's mid-southwestern two provinces, Azuay and Chimborazo.

Salivary gland transcripts of the kissing bug, Panstrongylus chinai, a vector of Chagas disease.

The saliva of hematophagous arthropods injected during blood feeding contains potent pharmacologically active components to counteract the host hemostatic and inflammatory systems. In the present study, dominant salivary gland transcripts of Panstrongylus chinai, a vector of Chagas disease, were analyzed by sequencing randomly selected clones of the salivary gland cDNA library. This analysis showed that 56.

Leishmaniases in Ecuador: Comprehensive review and current status.

This article reviews current knowledge about leishmaniases in Ecuador, proceeding from 1920, when the first human case was described, to the present, mainly focusing on the recent research events published. Regarding basic situations, it appears that 23 of Ecuador's 24 provinces have leishmaniasis-case reports. The disease is one of the mandatory notification infectious diseases in the country since 2005.

Geographic Distribution of Leishmania Species in Ecuador Based on the Cytochrome B Gene Sequence Analysis.

A countrywide epidemiological study was performed to elucidate the current geographic distribution of causative species of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Ecuador by using FTA card-spotted samples and smear slides as DNA sources. Putative Leishmania in 165 samples collected from patients with CL in 16 provinces of Ecuador were examined at the species level based on the cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. Of these, 125 samples were successfully identified as Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, L.

Diffuse and disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis: clinical cases experienced in Ecuador and a brief review.

Background: In Ecuador, cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is prevalent countrywide, but only one case of diffuse-CL and two cases of disseminated-CL were experienced during our research activities more than 30 years from 1982 to date. These three patients suffered from multiple lesions distributed at a wide range of the body surface, revealing difficulty to clinically differentiate each other.

Methods: There is a considerable confusion of the use and/or differentiation of the terminologies (terms) between the two disease forms, diffuse-CL and disseminated-CL.

First Human Cases of Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni Infection and a Search for the Vector Sand Flies in Ecuador.

An epidemiological study of leishmaniasis was performed in Amazonian areas of Ecuador since little information on the prevalent Leishmania and sand fly species responsible for the transmission is available. Of 33 clinical specimens from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), causative parasites were identified in 25 samples based on cytochrome b gene analysis. As reported previously, Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis and L.

Identification of causative Leishmania species in Giemsa-stained smears prepared from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru using PCR-RFLP.

A PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) targeting the mannose phosphate isomerase gene was established to differentiate Leishmania species distributed near the Department of Huanuco, Peru. The technique was applied to 267 DNA samples extracted from Giemsa-stained smears of cutaneous lesions taken from patients suspected for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the area, and the present status of causative Leishmania species was identified. Of 114 PCR-amplified samples, 22, 19, 24 and 49 samples were identified to be infected by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, L.

First Evidence of a Hybrid of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis/L. (V.) peruviana DNA Detected from the Phlebotomine Sand Fly Lutzomyia tejadai in Peru.

The natural infection of sand flies by Leishmania was examined in the Department of Huanuco of Peru, where cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by a hybrid of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis/L. (V.) peruviana is endemic.

Clinical and epidemiological features of leishmaniasis in northwestern-Argentina through a retrospective analysis of recent cases.

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by hemoflagellates of the genus Leishmania and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected phlebotomine sandflies. Depending on the Leishmania species, the disease has different clinical forms including cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral manifestations. Previous studies performed in endemic zones of northwestern-Argentina, during epidemic outbreaks, have been important for detecting patients suffering from the acute phase of the disease, but have not given a complete representation of the clinical and epidemiological features in the region.

A rapid molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis by colorimetric malachite green-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) combined with an FTA card as a direct sampling tool.

Leishmaniasis remains one of the world's most neglected diseases, and early detection of the infectious agent, especially in developing countries, will require a simple and rapid test. In this study, we established a quick, one-step, single-tube, highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of Leishmania DNA from tissue materials spotted on an FTA card. An FTA-LAMP with pre-added malachite green was performed at 64°C for 60min using a heating block and/or water bath and DNA amplification was detected immediately after incubation.