PCR-positivity of gerbils and their ectoparasites for Leishmania spp. in a hyperendemic focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in central Iran

Abstract Background: Sand flies are the only known vectors of Leishmania parasites. Various arthropods, including ticks have been suggested as secondary vectors of Leishmania spp. many years ago. This study was conducted to determine PCR-positivity of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis reservoir hosts and their ectoparasites for Leishmania spp. in central Iran. Methods: Microscopic examination and nested polymerase chain reaction (Nested-PCR) were used to detect and identify species of Leishmania and the results were confirmed by two methods, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing. Results: Totally, 93 rodents (Rhomombis opimus (n=92) and Nesokia indica (n=1)) were captured during different seasons and 9 different species of ectoparasites were collected from them. Out of 92 collected R. opimus, 14 were positive for Leishmania spp. by microscopic examination while one N. indica and 77 R. opimus were positive by nested-PCR. The infection rate of rodents with Leishmania major and Leishmania turanica was 39.79% and 15.05%, respectively. Mixed natural infections with L. major and L. turanica were seen in 15.05% of rodents, in 7.53% of the rodents with L. major and Leishmania gerbilli, and in 6.45% of the rodents with the three species. The leishmanial infection rate of the rodents was the highest (94.29%) in summer and lowest (45.45%) in the winter. Moreover, 39 out of 54 fleas, 5 out of 8 mites, and 1 tick were PCR positive for Leishmania parasites. Conclusions: The highest rate of infection with L. major and L. turanica in R. opimus populations was observed in the summer and spring respectively, and the highest percentage of L. major and L. turanica coinfection was seen in the winter. It is suggested that the role of L. turanica and the probable role of ectoparasites in the transmission of epidemiology should be investigated carefully. Xenodiagnostic testing is recommended for future testing.

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PCR-positivity of gerbils and their ectoparasites for Leishmania spp. in a hyperendemic focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in central Iran

10.21203/rs.2.21837/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sahar Azarmi ◽

Alireza Zahraei-Ramazani ◽

Mehdi Mohebali ◽

Yavar Rassi ◽

Amir Ahmad Akhavan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Infection Rate ◽

Microscopic Examination ◽

Nested Pcr ◽

Leishmania Major ◽

Central Iran ◽

Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Leishmania Spp ◽

Leishmania Parasites

Abstract Background: Sand flies are the only known vectors of Leishmania parasites. Various arthropods, including ticks have been suggested as secondary vectors of Leishmania spp. many years ago. This study was conducted to determine PCR-positivity of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis reservoir hosts and their ectoparasites for Leishmania spp. in central Iran. Methods: Microscopic examination and nested polymerase chain reaction (Nested-PCR) were used to detect and identify species of Leishmania and the results were confirmed by two methods, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing. Results: Totally, 93 rodents (Rhomombis opimus (n=92) and Nesokia indica (n=1)) were captured during different seasons and 9 different species of ectoparasites were collected from them. Out of 92 collected R. opimus, 14 were positive for Leishmania spp. by microscopic examination while one N. indica and 77 R. opimus were positive by nested-PCR. The infection rate of rodents with Leishmania major and Leishmania turanica was 39.79% (37) and 15.05% (14), respectively. Mixed natural infections with L. major and L. turanica were seen in 15.05% of the rodents (14), in 7.53% of the rodents (7) with L. major and Leishmania gerbilli, and in 6.45% of the rodents (6) with the three species. The leishmanial infection rate of the rodents was the highest (94.29%) in summer and lowest (45.45%) in the winter. Moreover, 39 out of 54 fleas (72.22%), 5 out of 8 mites (75%), and 1 tick nymph (100%) were PCR-positive for Leishmania parasites. Conclusions: The highest rate of infection with L. major and L. turanica in R. opimus populations was observed in the summer and spring respectively, and the highest percentage of L. major and L. turanica coinfection was seen in the winter. It is suggested that the role of L. turanica and the probable role of ectoparasites in the transmission of epidemiology should be investigated carefully. Xenodiagnostic testing is recommended for future testing.

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Toxoplasma gondii in Sheep and Goats from Central Iran

BMC Research Notes ◽

10.1186/s13104-021-05465-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mojtaba Bahreh ◽

Bahador Hajimohammadi ◽

Gilda Eslami

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Dna Extraction ◽

Infection Rate ◽

Nested Pcr ◽

Prevention Programs ◽

Central Iran ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Sheep And Goats ◽

One Year ◽

Undercooked Meat

Abstract Objective Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, infects humans by consuming infected raw or undercooked meat and foods harboring mature oocysts. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of T. gondii in sheep and goats coming from central Iran. After completing the questionnaire, about one gram of liver or diaphragm tissue was taken as a sample from 90 sheep and 90 goats slaughtered in Yazd Province and stored at – 20 ºC. DNA extraction was done, and then T. gondii was detected using nested PCR. Results This study indicated that the prevalence of T. gondii in all slaughtered animals was 11.6% (21 of 180), including 14.4% (13/90) in sheep and 8.8% (8/90) in goats. The infection rates in liver and diaphragm samples were 12.2% (11/90) and 11.1% (10/90), respectively (p = 0.8163). The infection rate in animals older than one was 16.3% (15/92), and it was 6.8% (6/88) in animals under one year of age. Therefore, no significant differences were found (p = 0.475). Infection rates were 19.5% (18/92) in males and 3.4% (3/88) in females (p = 0.0007). In conclusion, the infection rates of toxoplasmosis in livestock in this area are almost high, and therefore, it is necessary to design appropriate prevention programs to control the disease.

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Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis associated with domestic animals in Venezuela and Brazil

Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz ◽

10.1590/s0074-02761989000100005 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 84 (1) ◽

pp. 19-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Cruz Manuel Aguilar ◽

Elizabeth F. Rangel ◽

Leonardo Garcia ◽

Elio Fernandez ◽

Hooman Momen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

Source Of Infection ◽

Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Janeiro State ◽

Enzootic Cycle

After outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Solano State, Venezuela, 5% of the population had parasitized ulcers while after similar outbreaks in Mesquita, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 9% had the disease. In these foci children, including some under six years of age, wre affected. There was no significant difference in the occurence of the disease according to sex or type of employment. In Solano, 3% of dogs and 28% of donkeys had parasitized lesions, while in Mesquita these indices were 19.8% and 30.8% respectively. The parasite from man, dogs and equines was identified as Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, by zymodeme and serodeme characterization. In these foci there is evidence suggesting that leishmaniasis is a zoonosis, possibly with equine and dogs as reservoirs, although both a wild enzootic cycle and the role of man as a source of infection can not be ruled out. Transmission is assumed to occur peridomestically by sandfly vectors such as Lutzomyia panamensis in Venezuela and Lutzomyia intermedia in Brazil. Information about the origin of these foci suggests that infected equines may be an important factor in the dissemination of the parasite in a peridomestic situation where these sandflies are abundant.

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DETECTION OF PRO- INFLAMMATORY INTERLEUKIN 17 IN PATIENTS WITH L. TROPICA IN THI-QAR PROVINCE, IRAQ

Periódico Tchê Química ◽

10.52571/ptq.v17.n36.2020.964_periodico36_pgs_949_957.pdf ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (36) ◽

pp. 949-957

Author(s):

Mohammed Hassan FLAIH ◽

Fadhil Abbas AL-ABADY ◽

Khwam Reissan HUSSEIN

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Nested Pcr ◽

Accurate Method ◽

Leishmania Species ◽

Clinical Samples ◽

Interleukin 17 ◽

Infected Female ◽

Endemic Diseases ◽

Leishmania Spp ◽

South Of Iraq

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a widespread health problem and considered one of the endemic diseases in Iraq. The dermal lesion occurs due to an obligate intracellular Leishmania parasite, which transmits by the bite of the infected female sandfly. This study aims to identify Leishmania species in Thi-Qar province/South of Iraq and detect IL-17 level in serum of infected patients with L. tropica. The study was conducted in three local locations, Al-Hussein Teaching, Al-Suq Al-Shyokh General, and Al-Shatrah General Hospitals in the province for the period from the beginning of November 2018 to the end of October 2019. After clinical diagnosis, eighty out of two hundred forty-seven samples were selected for molecular examination by nested-PCR technique, where the lesion edge was injected by normal saline and pulled again to obtain the parasite DNA. Also, a measure of the IL-17 concentration level in serum of the patients with ELISA. The findings of the electrophoresis of the kinetoplast minicircle DNA gene showed that 65 samples were positive for cutaneous leishmaniasis, and observed two species of Leishmania spp. in the study area, 46 (57.5%) samples were L. tropica at 750 bp and 19 (23.75%) samples were L. major. Serum IL-17 concentration recorded a significant increase among patients infected with L. tropica at different infection stages than control samples. Generally, the Nested-PCR technique is an accurate method for diagnosing clinical samples and molecular determination of Leishmania parasites. L. tropica is the dominant specie that caused CL in Thi-Qar province, while L. major recorded a low incidence.

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Molecular investigation and geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infection in stray and owned cats (Felis catus) in Thessaly, central Greece

Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society ◽

10.12681/jhvms.15553 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 27 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. GIANNAKOPOULOS ◽

C. N. TSOKANA ◽

E. PAPADOPOULOS ◽

V. SPYROU ◽

D. C. CHATZOPOULOS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Geographical Distribution ◽

Nested Pcr ◽

Living Conditions ◽

Control Measures ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Endemic Region ◽

Central Greece ◽

Molecular Investigation ◽

Leishmania Spp

In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of Leishmania spp infection and to report the geographical distribution of Leishmania spp infected cats from Thessaly, central Greece, an endemic region for canine and human leishmaniosis. Blood samples were collected from a total of 150 cats (34 stray and 116 owned) from the area of Thessaly, i.e. Larissa (n=6), Volos (n=94), Trikala (n=30) and Karditsa (n=20). Data on signalment and living conditions were registered for each cat. The samples were tested by Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 nested PCR (ITS1 nested PCR). Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to define the geographical distribution of the Leishmania spp infected cats in relation to the land uses and the altitude. In total, 13.3% (95% CI: 8.3-19.8) of the sampled cats were found positive for Leishmania spp DNA. More precisely, the results are 12.8% (95% CI 6.8-21.2) in Volos, 20% (95% CI 6.8-21.2) in Trikala and 10% (95% CI 12-31.7) in Karditsa while none of the six cats examined from the region of Larissa was found PCR positive. The Leishmania spp infected cats were found in artificial surfaces and associated areas and in cultivated and managed areas with a mean altitude of 81,7 m above sea level (range 14 - 225 ± 51.57 SD). No significant correlation was found between Leishmania spp infection and signalment or living conditions, thus suggest ing that the infection is uniformly distributed among the screened feline population. The findings of this study along with the occurrence of competent vectors of Leishmania infantum in Thessaly, support the hypothesis that cats may serve as a reservoir for Leishmania spp in this region and highlight the need for surveillance in feline population and implementation of control measures. However, the epidemiological role of cats in the maintenance and transmission of Leishmania spp has yet to be defined and deserves further investigation.

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Molecular Detection of Leishmania major in Hemiechinus auritus, A Potential Reservoir of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Damghan, Iran

Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases ◽

10.18502/jad.v13i3.1542 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Behrad Pourmohammadi ◽

Sadegh Mohammadi-Azni

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Leishmania Major ◽

Natural Infection ◽

Leishmania Infection ◽

Northern Iran ◽

Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Potential Reservoir ◽

Leishmania Spp ◽

First Time ◽

Leishmania Parasites

Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major is endemic in 17 of 31 Iranian provinces. Various species of rodents have been introduced as the main reservoirs of the disease. This study was conducted to determine the natural infection of hedgehogs with Leishmania spp. in an endemic area of the disease, northern Iran. Methods: Fifteen long-eared hedgehogs were captured alive during 18 months study period, from Apr 2015 to Sep 2016, in Damghan City, Semnan Province, Iran. The animals were identified using apparent characteristics and to determine the Leishmania infection, impression smears were prepared from their ear lobes, hind feet, livers, and spleens. Microscopic examination and semi-nested PCR were applied to determine the infection and to identify the parasites species respectively. Results: All examined animals were identified as Hemiechinus auritus (Family: Erinaceidae). In microscopic examination, 8 (53.3%) samples were shown to be infected with Leishmania parasites. The higher and lower rate of the infection was observed in the ears as well as the feet and in the liver specimens, 53.3%, and 33.3% respectively. Forty percent (6/ 15) of the samples were molecularly positive and all were identified as L. major parasites. All the examined animals in autumn and 50% of them in summer were shown to be infected with Leishmania parasites. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the natural infection of H. auritus with L. major for the first time in Damghan City and introduced these mammals as new potential reservoirs of ZCL in the study area.

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