Leishmania infantum in Tigers and Sand Flies from a Leishmaniasis-Endemic Area, Southern Italy

The main vector for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil is Lutzomyia longipalpis. However, the absence of L. longipalpis in a region of autochthonous VL demonstrates the participation of other species in the transmission of the parasite. Studies conducted in La Banda, Argentina, and São Vicente Férrer, Pernambuco State, Brazil, have correlated the absence of L. longipalpisand the presence of L. migonei with autochthonous cases of VL. In São Vicente Férrer, Pernambuco, there was evidence for the natural infection of L. migonei with Leishmania infantum chagasi. Thus, the objective of this work was to assess the ecology of the sand flies L. longipalpis and L. migonei in Fortaleza, an endemic area for VL. Insect capture was conducted at 22 sampling points distributed across four regions of Fortaleza. In total, 32,403 sand flies were captured; of these, 18,166 (56%) were identified as L. longipalpis and 14,237 (44%) as L. migonei. There were significant density differences found between the vectors at each sampling site (indoors and outdoors) (p <0.0001). These findings confirm that L. migonei and L. longipalpis are distributed throughout Fortaleza, where they have adapted to an indoor environment, and suggest that L. migonei may share the role as a vector with L. longipalpis in the transmission of VL in Fortaleza.

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Detection of Leishmania tarentolae in lizards, sand flies and dogs in southern Italy, where Leishmania infantum is endemic: hindrances and opportunities

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-021-04973-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan ◽

Maria Stefania Latrofa ◽

Roberta Iatta ◽

Ranju R. S. Manoj ◽

Rossella Panarese ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Canine Leishmaniasis ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Leishmania Tarentolae ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Podarcis Siculus ◽

Vertebrate Hosts ◽

And Control

Abstract Background Leishmania tarentolae is a protozoan isolated from geckoes (Tarentola annularis, Tarentola mauritanica), which is considered non-pathogenic and is transmitted by herpetophilic Sergentomyia spp. sand flies. This species occurs in sympatry with Leishmania infantum in areas where canine leishmaniasis is endemic. In the present study, we investigated the circulation of L. tarentolae and L. infantum in sand flies, dogs and lizards in a dog shelter in southern Italy, where canine leishmaniasis by L. infantum is endemic. Methods Sheltered dogs (n = 100) negative for Leishmania spp. (March 2020) were screened by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) using promastigotes of both species at two time points (June 2020 and March 2021). Whole blood from dogs, tissues of Podarcis siculus lizards (n = 28) and sand flies (n = 2306) were also sampled and tested by a duplex real-time PCR (dqPCR). Host blood meal was assessed in sand flies by PCR. Results Overall, 16 dogs became positive for L. infantum and/or L. tarentolae by IFAT at one or both sampling periods. One canine blood sample was positive for L. infantum, whilst two for L. tarentolae by dqPCR. At the cytology of lizard blood, Leishmania spp. amastigote-like forms were detected in erythrocytes. Twenty-two tissue samples, mostly lung (21.4%), scored molecularly positive for L. tarentolae, corresponding to 10 lizards (i.e., 35.7%). Of the female Sergentomyia minuta sampled (n = 1252), 158 scored positive for L. tarentolae, four for L. infantum, and one co-infected. Two Phlebotomus perniciosus (out of 29 females) were positive for L. tarentolae. Engorged S. minuta (n = 10) fed on humans, and one P. perniciosus, positive for L. tarentolae, on lagomorphs. Conclusions Dogs and lacertid lizards (Podarcis siculus) were herein found for the first time infected by L. tarentolae. The detection of both L. tarentolae and L. infantum in S. minuta and P. perniciosus suggests their sympatric circulation, with a potential overlap in vertebrate hosts. The interactions between L. tarentolae and L. infantum should be further investigated in both vectors and vertebrate hosts to understand the potential implications for the diagnosis and control of canine leishmaniasis in endemic areas. Graphical abstract

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Detection of Leishmania infantum DNA in Pintomyia evansi and Lutzomyia longipalpis in an endemic area of Non-ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis from Honduras

10.21203/rs.3.rs-36505/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wilfredo Humberto Sosa-Ochoa ◽

Javier Varela Amador ◽

Yokomi N Lozano-Sardaneta ◽

Gabriela Rodriguez Segura ◽

Concepcion Zúniga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Endemic Area ◽

Natural Infection ◽

First Record ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Endemic Region ◽

Transmission Cycle

Abstract Background The two most abundant sand flies species in Honduran Pacific coast are Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis and Pintomyia (Pintomyia) evansi. Both species are proved vectors of the agent of for visceral leishmaniasis in South America. Although, visceral and cutaneous non-ulcerated leishmaniasis are endemic of the Central American Pacific, being the Non-ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis the most frequent manifestation. In this study, we evaluate the circulation of Leishmania spp in sand flies species in the El Tigre Island, an endemic area of Visceral and Non -ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis in Honduras. Results Six sand flies species were identified, being Lu. longipalpis (81%) and Pi. evansi (16%) the more abundant species. Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum DNA was found in 9 of the 96 specimens analyzed, 7 of these specimens was identify as Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis and 2 as Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) evansi, with an infection rate of 9.4% and 2.7% respectively. Conclusion Our results present the first record of Leishmania (L.) infantum DNA in Pintomyia (Pintomyia) evansi in a Non-ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic region from Central America. Considering the natural infection of Lu. longipalpis our results suggest that Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) evansi might be a secondary vector of Leishmania (L.) infantum and probably involved in the disease’s transmission cycle. Undoubtedly, the detection of natural infections of in this region contributes to the understanding of the L. (L.) infantum infection epidemiology in Honduras

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Corrigendum to “Ecology of phlebotomine sand flies and Leishmania infantum infection in a rural area of southern Italy” [Acta Trop. 137 (2014) 67–73]

Acta Tropica ◽

10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.03.001 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 146 ◽

pp. 157

Author(s):

Filipe Dantas-Torres ◽

Viviana D. Tarallo ◽

Maria S. Latrofa ◽

Alessandro Falchi ◽

Riccardo P. Lia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Area ◽

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies

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Ecology of phlebotomine sand flies and Leishmania infantum infection in a rural area of southern Italy

Acta Tropica ◽

10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.04.034 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 137 ◽

pp. 67-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Filipe Dantas-Torres ◽

Viviana D. Tarallo ◽

Maria S. Latrofa ◽

Alessandro Falchi ◽

Riccardo P. Lia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Area ◽

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies

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Detection of Leishmania infantum DNA in phlebotomine sand flies from an area where canine leishmaniosis is endemic in southern Italy

Veterinary Parasitology ◽

10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.02.006 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 253 ◽

pp. 39-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Maria Stefania Latrofa ◽

Roberta Iatta ◽

Filipe Dantas-Torres ◽

Giada Annoscia ◽

Simona Gabrielli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Canine Leishmaniosis ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies

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Sexual and vertical transmission of visceral leishmaniasis

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.4108 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (04) ◽

pp. 403-407 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Andreia P Turchetti ◽

Tayse D Souza ◽

Tatiane A Paixão ◽

Renato L. Santos

Keyword(s):

Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽

Vertical Transmission ◽

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Vertebrate Host ◽

Domestic Dog ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an important zoonosis caused by Leishmania infantum, which has in the domestic dog its principal vertebrate host. VL is usually transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, however atypical routes of transmission have been described. In this review we discuss the the role of sexual and vertical transmissions, and their role in the maintenance of VL in canine populations.

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Study of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) Collected in a Leishmania-Endemic Area of the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1603/me09127 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 972-976 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Gustavo M. L. Carvalho ◽

Célia M. F. Gontijo ◽

Alda L. Falcão ◽

José D. Andrade Filho

Keyword(s):

Endemic Area ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽

Belo Horizonte

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Odour of domestic dogs infected with Leishmania infantum is attractive to female but not male sand flies: Evidence for parasite manipulation

PLoS Pathogens ◽

10.1371/journal.ppat.1009354 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. e1009354

Author(s):

Monica E. Staniek ◽

James G. C. Hamilton

Keyword(s):

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Etiologic Agent ◽

Human Infection ◽

T Test ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Control Female ◽

Behavioural Experiments ◽

Paired T Test

Globally visceral leishmaniasis (VL) causes thousands of human deaths every year. In South America, the etiologic agent, Leishmania infantum, is transmitted from an infected canine reservoir to human hosts by the bite of the sand fly vector; predominantly Lutzomyia longipalpis. Previous evidence from model rodent systems have suggested that the odour of infected hosts is altered by the parasite making them more attractive to the vector leading to an increased biting rate and improved transmission prospects for the pathogen. However, there has been no assessment of the effect of Le infantum infection on the attractiveness of dogs, which are the natural reservoirs for human infection. Hair collected from infected and uninfected dogs residing in a VL endemic city in Brazil was entrained to collect the volatile chemical odours present in the headspace. Female and male Lu. longipalpis sand flies were offered a choice of odour entrained from infected and uninfected dogs in a series of behavioural experiments. Odour of uninfected dogs was equally attractive to male or female Lu. longipalpis when compared to a solvent control. Female Lu. longipalpis were significantly more attracted to infected dog odour than uninfected dog odour in all 15 experimental replicates (average 45.7±0.87 females attracted to infected odour; 23.9±0.82 to uninfected odour; paired T-test, P = 0.000). Male Lu. longipalpis did not significantly prefer either infected or uninfected odour (average 36.1±0.4 males to infected odour; 35.7±0.6 to uninfected odour; paired T-test, P = 0.722). A significantly greater proportion of females chose the infected dog odour compared to the males (paired T-test, P = 0.000). The results showed that the odour of dogs infected with Le. infantum was significantly more attractive to blood-seeking female sand flies than it was to male sand flies. This is strong evidence for parasite manipulation of the host odour in a natural transmission system and indicates that infected dogs may have a disproportionate significance in maintaining infection in the canine and human population.

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Leishmania infantum Infection Modulates the Jak-STAT Pathway in Lutzomyia longipalpis LL5 Embryonic Cells and Adult Females, and Affects Parasite Growth in the Sand Fly

Frontiers in Tropical Diseases ◽

10.3389/fitd.2021.747820 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Erich Loza Telleria ◽

Daisy Aline Azevedo-Brito ◽

Barbora Kykalová ◽

Bruno Tinoco-Nunes ◽

André Nóbrega Pitaluga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Post Infection ◽

Leishmania Infantum ◽

Janus Kinase ◽

Sand Fly ◽

Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽

Sand Flies ◽

Embryonic Cells ◽

Adult Females ◽

Parasite Survival ◽

Stat Pathway

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) belonging to the Lutzomyia genus transmit zoonoses in the New World. Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of Leishmania infantum, which is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. To identify key molecular aspects involved in the interaction between vector and pathogens and contribute to developing disease transmission controls, we investigated the sand fly innate immunity mediated by the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) pathway in response to L. infantum infection. We used two study models: L. longipalpis LL5 embryonic cells co-cultured with L. infantum and sand fly females artificially infected with the parasite. We used qPCR to follow the L. longipalpis gene expression of molecules involved in the Jak-STAT pathway. Also, we modulated the Jak-STAT mediated immune response to understand its role in Leishmania parasite infection. For that, we used RNAi to silence the pathway regulators, protein inhibitor of activated STATs (PIAS) in LL5 cells, and STAT in adult females. In addition, the pathway suppression effect on parasite development within the vector was assessed by light microscopy in late-phase infection. The silencing of the repressor PIAS in LL5 cells led to a moderate increase in a protein tyrosine phosphatase 61F (PTP61F) expression. It suggests a compensatory regulation between these two repressors. L. infantum co-culture with LL5 cells upregulated repressors PIAS, suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS), and PTP61F. It also downmodulated virus-induced RNA-1 (VIR-1), a pathway effector, indicating that the parasite could repress the Jak-STAT pathway in LL5 cells. In Leishmania-infected L. longipalpis females, STAT and the antimicrobial peptide attacin were downregulated on the third day post-infection, suggesting a correlation that favors the parasite survival at the end of blood digestion in the sand fly. The antibiotic treatment of infected females showed that the reduction of gut bacteria had little effect on the Jak-STAT pathway regulation. STAT gene silencing mediated by RNAi reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and favored Leishmania growth in sand flies on the first day post-infection. These results indicate that STAT participated in the iNOS regulation with subsequent effect on parasite survival.

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