scholarly journals Sexual and vertical transmission of visceral leishmaniasis

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (04) ◽  
pp. 403-407 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Molecular evidence of early vertical transmission of Leishmania ( Leishmania ) infantum in a dog

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinícius Vasconcelos Gomes de Oliveira ◽  
Rafael Antonio Nascimento Ramos ◽  
Carlos Alberto do Nascimento Ramos ◽  
Neurisvan Ramos Guerra ◽  
Frederico Celso Lyra Maia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Uterine Horn ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Biological Vector ◽  
Time Of Infection ◽  
Uterine Body

ABSTRACT: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by the protozoon Leishmania infantum . Transmission of this parasite to hosts occurs mainly through the bite of infected sand flies. However, alternative infection routes have been hypothesized, especially in areas where the biological vector is absent. The exact time of infection and whether in utero transmission occurs have still not been fully elucidated. This report demonstrates molecular evidence of vertical transmission of L. infantum from a pregnant dog to the embryo. Samples (e.g. vulva, vagina, cervix, uterine body, uterine horn and ovaries) from a female naturally infected by L. infantum and from her embryo were molecularly analyzed by means of qPCR and cPCR followed by DNA sequencing. The gestational age was estimated to be 23±1 day. Through qPCR, the presence of L. infantum DNA was detected in all the samples analyzed (n=7), including the embryo, conversely through cPCR, only four samples (vagina, cervix, uterine body and embryo) were positive. This study demonstrated that transmission of L. infantum from a pregnant dog to the embryo might occur in the early days of pregnancy. In conclusion, this is the first report showing L. infantum infecting a canine embryo.

scholarly journals Ecology of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia migonei in an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafaella Albuquerque Silva ◽  
Fabricio Kassio Moura Santos ◽  
Lindemberg Caranha de Sousa ◽  
Elizabeth Ferreira Rangel ◽  
Claudia Maria Leal Bevilaqua
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Endemic Area ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
Sampling Site ◽  
Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Sampling Points ◽  
Lutzomyia Migonei

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.

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

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica E. Staniek ◽  
James G.C. Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Feeding Activity ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
T Test ◽  
Domestic Dogs ◽  
Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Paired T Test

AbstractGlobally 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 blood-feeding activity 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, the effect of Le. infantum infection on the attractiveness of naturally infected dogs which are integral to human infection, has not been assessed.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 infected or uninfected odour in a series of behavioural experiments. Control experiments established that female and male Lu. longipalpis were equally attracted to uninfected dog odour, 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 show that dogs infected with Le. infantum are significantly more attractive to blood-feeding female than 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 canine and human infection.Author SummaryVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease caused by the Protist parasite Leishmania infantum. In Brazil and other South and Central American countries, the parasite is transmitted by the blood-feeding activity of infected female Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies. The disease leads to thousands of human cases and deaths every year. Domestic dogs are the reservoir of infection for humans therefore understanding the effect of infection on dogs is important in developing an understanding of the epidemiology of the disease. Although previous studies on rodent models of Le. infantum infection have shown that infected Golden Hamsters are more attractive to Lu. longipalpis the attractiveness of naturally infected dogs to the insect vector has not been previously been investigated. In this study we showed that the odour of infected dogs is significantly more attractive to female sand flies which can transmit the pathogen than to male sand flies which do not. This clear-cut difference in attraction of female and males suggests that the females are preferentially attracted by parasite infected hosts and may lead to enhanced infection and transmission opportunities for the parasite.

Entomological Studies in Itaúna, Brazil, an Area With Visceral Leishmaniasis Transmission: Fauna Survey, Natural Leishmania Infection, and Molecular Characterization of the Species Circulating in Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1368-1376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josiane V Lopes ◽  
Erika M Michalsky ◽  
Nathalia C L Pereira ◽  
Adão J V de Paula ◽  
Fabiana O Lara-Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Natural Infection ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Sand Fly ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Leishmania Infection ◽  
Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Phlebotomine Sand Flies

Abstract Among neglected tropical diseases, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) shows great relevance in global terms and is a serious public health concern due to the possibility of severe and lethal forms in humans. In this study, we evaluate entomological factors such as diversity and abundance of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera:Psychodidae) and the Leishmania species circulating in these species in possible association with VL transmission in the Brazilian town Itaúna. The entomological collections were performed during three consecutive nights, always in the third week of each month, within a period of 12 mo. A total of 1,786 sand fly specimens were collected, from which 20% were collected inside houses. The influence of three local climatic variables (temperature, rainfall, relative humidity) on the population sizes of these insects was evaluated. Temperature was the most influential factor, with a significant positive correlation with the local population size of phlebotomine sand flies collected per month. Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) was the predominant species in the study area. Leishmania DNA was detected in nine out of 133 pools of sand fly females, using nested/PCR, which resulted in a minimal natural infection rate of 2.91%. DNA from Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908 (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatida), was detected in Evandromyia cortelezzii (Bréthes, 1923), Ev. evandroi (Costa, Lima & Antunes, 1936), Ev. lenti (Mangabeira, 1938), and Ev. termitophila (Martins, Falcão & Silva, 1964), besides Lu. longipalpis. Our study indicates favorable conditions for VL spreading in Itaúna due to the presence of Lu. longipalpis and Le. infantum-infected phlebotomine sand flies.

scholarly journals Resistance to Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis in Mice Infected With Leishmania infantum Requires Batf3

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Soto ◽  
Laura Ramírez ◽  
José Carlos Solana ◽  
Emma C. L. Cook ◽  
Elena Hernández-García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Leucine Zipper ◽  
Basic Leucine Zipper ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Deficient Mice

Unveiling the protective immune response to visceral leishmaniasis is critical for a rational design of vaccines aimed at reducing the impact caused by this fatal, if left untreated, vector-borne disease. In this study we sought to determine the role of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (Batf3) in the evolution of infection with Leishmania infantum, the causative agent of human visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America. For that, Batf3-deficient mice in C57BL/6 background were infected with an L. infantum strain expressing the luciferase gene. Bioluminescent imaging, as well as in vitro parasite titration, demonstrated that Batf3-deficient mice were unable to control hepatic parasitosis as opposed to wild-type C57BL/6 mice. The impaired microbicide capacities of L. infantum-infected macrophages from Batf3-deficient mice mainly correlated with a reduction of parasite-specific IFN-γ production. Our results reinforce the implication of Batf3 in the generation of type 1 immunity against infectious diseases.

scholarly journals Transmission of Leishmania infantum from cats to dogs

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joilson Ferreira Batista ◽  
Francisco das Chagas Ribeiro Magalhães Neto ◽  
Kayo Sandro Pimentel do Prado Lopes ◽  
Marcello Otake Sato ◽  
Carlos Henrique Nery Costa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Leishmania Infection ◽  
Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽  
Experimental Transmission ◽  
Biological Vector ◽  
Leishmania Promastigotes

Abstract Leishmania infantum infection in cats has been reported in several countries, including Brazil. However, the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) from cats to another host has not been proven yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the possibility of L. infantum transmission from cats to dogs. In order to verify the possibility of VL transmission from the cat to the dog, xenodiagnosis was carried out in a VL-positive cat, using 55 female Lutzomyia longipalpis. Five days later, 40 insects were dissected to verify Leishmania infection. The remaining 15 females were fed in a healthy dog. The potential infection of the dog was verified through clinical, serological, parasitological examinations, and PCR, at three, six, and twelve months post-infection. All 55 L. longipalpis females became visibly engorged. Leishmania promastigotes were detected in 27.5% of the dissected insects. Leishmania infection in the dog was confirmed upon first evaluation. DNA sequencing of the parasite isolated from the cat confirmed L. infantum infection and showed 99% similarity with the L. infantum DNA sequences from the dogs. Through this study, it was possible to confirm the L. infantum experimental transmission from a domestic cat to a domestic dog through its biological vector L. longipalpis.

scholarly journals Illegal Waste Sites As A Potential Micro Foci Of Mediterranean Leishmaniasis: First Records Of Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) From Slovenia

2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivović Vladimir ◽  
Kalan Katja ◽  
Zupan Sara ◽  
Bužan Elena
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Molecular Probe ◽  
Disease Vectors ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Kinetoplast Dna ◽  
Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽  
Black Rat ◽  
Illegal Waste ◽  
The Mediterranean Basin

AbstractApart from being against the law, illegal waste dumping also poses a threat to human health and to the environment. Solid and decomposing waste is an ideal breeding ground for a number of rodents, insects, and other vermin that pose a health risk through the spread of infectious diseases. The main objective of this study was to survey disease vectors and rodents for the presence ofLeishmaniasp. from waste sites along the Istrian Peninsula in Slovenia and Croatia.During the survey five sandfly (Phlebotomus neglectus, P. perniciosus,P. papatasi, P. mascitii, Sergentomyia minuta) and five rodent species were collected (Rattus rattus,Mus musculus,Apodemus agrarius,A. flavicollisandA. sylvaticus).Sandflies and rodents were screened using a molecular probe to amplify an approximately 120 bp fragment of the kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) minicircle for the detection ofLeishmaniasp. parasites.Leishmania infantumDNA was detected in the spleen of one juvenile black rat (R. rattus). Despite few published records onLeshmaniasp. infection in black rats, the addition of our record highlights the importance of further investigation into the frequency and distribution of such occurrences so that we may better classify the role of rodents as potential reservoirs of leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean basin.

scholarly journals Investigations on Mediterranean kala azar. XI A study of leishmaniasis in Canea (Crete)

1938 ◽  
Vol 125 (841) ◽  
pp. 491-516 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Infantum ◽  
The Other ◽  
Preliminary Survey ◽  
Intensive Study ◽  
Feeding Experiments ◽  
Kala Azar ◽  
Endemic Focus ◽  
Local Species

In previous communications (Adler and Theodor 1931, 1935) the following sandflies of the major group were recorded from Greece: Phlebotomus major , P. perniciosus var. tobbi, P. chinensis var. simici and P. perfiliewi (syn. P. macedonicus ). P. perfiliewi was at first suspected as the carrier of visceral leishmaniasis in Greece, for it was the only sandfly of the major group known from this country up to 1931, the other species not having been found to occur in the peninsula and islands till 1932. A rapid survey carried out during August 1932 in Athens and the vicinity of Argos indicated that the distribution of P. major in these parts corresponded closely to that of visceral leishmaniasis, and feeding experiments on infected dogs carried out in Catania and Sicily showed that this species is even more receptive for Leishmania infantum than is P. perniciosus (1932). It was thought advisable to make an intensive study of a single endemic focus in Greece in order to test the conclusions made on the basis of the preliminary survey and compare the role of the various local species of sandfly of the major group as vectors of visceral leishmaniasis.

scholarly journals Visceral leishmaniasis in border areas: clustered distribution of phlebotomine sand flies in Clorinda, Argentina

2009 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 801-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar D Salomón ◽  
María G Quintana ◽  
Mario R Bruno ◽  
Ricardo V Quiriconi ◽  
Viviana Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Phlebotomine Sand Flies ◽  
Border Areas

scholarly journals American visceral leishmaniasis dissociated from Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera, Psychodidae) in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel de Souza Pinto ◽  
Claudiney Biral dos Santos ◽  
Gabriel Grimaldi Jr. ◽  
Adelson Luiz Ferreira ◽  
Aloísio Falqueto
Keyword(s):  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Geographic Distribution ◽  
The State ◽  
Lutzomyia Longipalpis ◽  
Sand Flies ◽  
Espírito Santo ◽  
Rocky Outcrops ◽  
Espirito Santo ◽  
Steep Slopes

The occurrence of American visceral leishmaniasis in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil has always been associated with the presence of the Lutzomyia longipalpis vector. The geographic distribution of this vector in this state is related to the presence of specific geoclimatic characteristics, such as a dry climate, low elevations (< 450m), steep slopes and rocky outcrops. The occurrence of human autochthonous cases of American visceral leishmaniasis in municipalities without these geoclimatic characteristics justifies the present study and our main goal was to test the association between the occurrence of American visceral leishmaniasis and the presence of the Lu. longipalpis. Sand flies were captured monthly from July 2006 to August 2007 using Shannon and CDC traps in two municipalities with records of autochthonous American visceral leishmaniasis and one with no record. We captured 13,112 sand flies, but no Lu. longipalpis was found. The absence of Lu. longipalpis and the possible role of another American visceral leishmaniasis vector in these localities were discussed.

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