scholarly journals The role of indigenous phlebotomine sandflies and mammals in the spreading of leishmaniasis agents in the Mediterranean region

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (30) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Antoniou ◽  
M Gramiccia ◽  
R Molina ◽  
V Dvorak ◽  
P Volf

An updated view of the establishment and spread of the leishmaniases in Europe is presented, mostly with respect to newly emerging and re-emerging foci and the incrimination of neglected as well as new reservoir hosts. At the same time, a concept of specific versus permissive vectors reassesses the potential role of various sandfly species in Leishmania transmission and considers the risk of introduction of exotic Leishmania species in Europe. The leishmaniases are dynamic diseases and the circumstances of transmission are continually changing in relation to environmental, demographic and human behavioural factors. Changes in the habitat of the natural hosts and vectors, immunosuppressive conditions (like infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or organ transplantation-associated therapies in humans) and the consequences of war, all contribute to the transformation of the epidemiology of leishmaniasis. Such changes should be considered when studying the spread of the disease throughout Europe for targeted control measures to safeguard public health.

Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 1599-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshiyasu Aoki ◽  
Robert Yarchoan ◽  
James Braun ◽  
Aikichi Iwamoto ◽  
Giovanna Tosato

Abstract Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus encodes viral IL-6 (vIL-6). To investigate the potential role of vIL-6 in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- related primary effusion lymphomas (PEL), a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for vIL-6 and applied to the study of PEL. Whereas vIL-6 was detectable in 6 of 8 PEL effusions (range, 1390-66 630 pg/mL), it was not detectable in any of the control effusions. As expected, all PEL effusions contained human IL-6 (range, 957-37 494 pg/mL), and 7 of 8 contained detectable human IL-10 (range, 66-2,521,297 pg/mL). Human and vIL-6 have previously been shown to induce vascular endothelial growth factor, which in turn can increase vascular permeability. The results of the current study suggest that these cytokines play a central role in the pathogenesis and manifestations of PEL.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josiah Mushanyu ◽  
Williams Chukwu ◽  
Farai Nyabadza ◽  
Gift Muchatibaya

Superspreading phenomenon has been observed in many infectious diseases and contributes significantly to public health burden in many countries. Superspreading events have recently been reported in the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study uses a set of nine ordinary differential equations to investigate the impact of superspreading on COVID-19 dynamics. The model developed in this study addresses the heterogeineity in infectiousness by taking into account two forms of transmission rate functions for superspreaders based on clinical (infectivity level) and social or environmental (contact level). The basic reproduction number has been derived and the contribution of each infectious compartment towards the generation of new COVID-19 cases is ascertained. Data fitting was performed and parameter values were estimated within plausible ranges. Numerical simulations performed suggest that control measures that decrease the effective contact radius and increase the transmission rate exponent will be greatly beneficial in the control of COVID-19 in the presence of superspreading phenomen


Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 1599-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshiyasu Aoki ◽  
Robert Yarchoan ◽  
James Braun ◽  
Aikichi Iwamoto ◽  
Giovanna Tosato

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus encodes viral IL-6 (vIL-6). To investigate the potential role of vIL-6 in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- related primary effusion lymphomas (PEL), a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for vIL-6 and applied to the study of PEL. Whereas vIL-6 was detectable in 6 of 8 PEL effusions (range, 1390-66 630 pg/mL), it was not detectable in any of the control effusions. As expected, all PEL effusions contained human IL-6 (range, 957-37 494 pg/mL), and 7 of 8 contained detectable human IL-10 (range, 66-2,521,297 pg/mL). Human and vIL-6 have previously been shown to induce vascular endothelial growth factor, which in turn can increase vascular permeability. The results of the current study suggest that these cytokines play a central role in the pathogenesis and manifestations of PEL.


Author(s):  
Marina Gramiccia

Leishmanioses are a large group of parasitic diseases range over the intertropical zones of America and Africa, and extend into temperate regions of South America, Southern Europe and Asia. The clinical aspect of the diseases is wide ranging from a simple, self-resolving cutaneous lesion to the potentially fatal visceral leishmaniosis, known as kala-azar. In numerous underdeveloped countries leishmanioses remain a major public health problem representing one of the most neglected diseases. Among 15 well-recognized Leishmania species known to infect humans, 13 have definite zoonotic nature, which include agents of visceral, cutaneous and mucocutaneous forms of the disease in both the Old and New Worlds. Mammal reservoir hosts belong to the marsupalia, edentata, carnivora, hyracoidea, and rodentia, maintaining sylvatic zoonotic foci in the deserts of Africa and Asia, the forests of South and Central America, as well as synanthropic foci in the Mediterranean basin and much of South America. Although the known vectors are all phlebotomine sandflies, these have a wide range of specific habits and habitats. The complexity of this group of infections has only recently been appreciated and is still being worked out. Currently, leishmanioses show a wider geographical distribution than previously known, with increased global incidence of human disease. Environmental, demographic and human behavioural factors contribute to the changing leishmaniosis landscape, which basically include increasing risk factors for zoonotic cutaneous leishmanioses, and new scenarios associated with the zoonotic entity of visceral leishmaniosis. In comparison with the anthroponotic entities of leishmaniosis, limited progresses were made for the control of the zoonotic ones, consisting mainly in new tools developed for the control of L. infantum in the canine reservoir.


Vaccine ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 1480-1488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alek M. Aranyos ◽  
Shannon R. Roff ◽  
Ruiyu Pu ◽  
Jennifer L. Owen ◽  
James K. Coleman ◽  
...  

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