In Colombia, the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common manifestation across the army personnel. Hence, it is mandatory to determine the species associated with the disease as well as the association with the clinical traits. A total of 273 samples of male patients with CL were included in the study and clinical data of the patients was studied. PCR and sequencing analyses (Cytb and HSP70 genes) were performed to identify the species and the intra-specific genetic variability. A georeferenced database was constructed to identify the spatial distribution of Leishmania species isolated. The identification of five species of Leishmania that circulate in the areas where army personnel are deployed is described. Predominant infecting Leishmania species corresponds to L. braziliensis (61.1%), followed by Leishmania panamensis (33.5%), with a high distribution of both species at geographical and municipal level. The species L. guyanensis, L. mexicana and L. lainsoni were also detected at lower frequency. We also showed the identification of different genotypes within L. braziliensis and L. panamensis. In conclusion, we identified the Leishmania species circulating in the areas where Colombian army personnel are deployed, as well as the high intra-specific genetic variability of L. braziliensis and L. panamensis and how these genotypes are distributed at the geographic level.
Leishmania braziliensis
and
Leishmania panamensis
are two species clinically and epidemiologically important, among others because of their relative resistance to first-line drugs (antimonials). The precise mechanism underlying the ability of these species to survive antimony treatment remains unknown. Therefore, elucidating the pathways mediating drug resistance is essential. We herein experimentally selected resistance to trivalent antimony (Sb
III
) in the reference strains of
L
.
braziliensis
(MHOM/BR75/M2904) and
L
.
panamensis
(MHOM/COL/81L13) and compared whole genome and transcriptome alterations in the culture promastigote stage. The results allowed us to identify differences in somy, copy number variations in some genes related to antimony resistance and large-scale copy number variations (deletions and duplications) in chromosomes with no somy changes. We found mainly in
L
.
braziliensis
, a direct relation between the chromosomal/local copy number variation and the gene expression. We identified differentially expressed genes in the resistant lines that are involved in antimony resistance, virulence, and vital biological processes in parasites. The results of this study may be useful for characterizing the genetic mechanisms of these
Leishmania
species under antimonial pressure, and for clarifying why the parasites are resistant to first-line drug treatments.
Traditionally, there has been a frequent, yet incorrect assumption that phlebotomine vectors, animal reservoirs, and human hosts are susceptible to
Leishmania
infection by a single parasite species. However, current evidence supports that these new vector-parasite-reservoir associations lend vectors and reservoirs greater permissiveness to certain
Leishmania
species, thus promoting the appearance of coinfection events, particularly in disease-endemic regions.
El objetivo de esta investigación consistió en evaluar los niveles de ansiedad, depresión, estrés y la percepción del estado de salud de estudiantes universitarios mexicanos durante 7 semanas de confinamiento por la pandemia de Covid-19. Método: estudio observacional-transeccional, la muestra se conformó por conveniencia y no aleatoria. N= 644 (276 mujeres y 368 hombres) con edad promedio de 21.95 años (σ= 3.56), quienes llenaron una encuesta en línea para la detección de síntomas psicológicos, cuyo contenido se estructuró por el Inventario de Ansiedad Estado, Escala de Estrés percibido (PSS-14), Cuestionario General de Salud (GHQ-28) y datos sociodemográficos. Resultados: se encontraron síntomas (moderados a severos): estrés (31.92%), psicosomáticos (5.9%), problemas para dormir (36.3%), disfunción social en la actividad diaria (9.5%) y depresivos (4.9%), especialmente en el grupo de las mujeres y en los estudiantes más jóvenes (18-25 años). En este último grupo, también se detectó ansiedad (40.3%) con mayores niveles en los hombres. Conclusiones: es necesario implementar programas de prevención, control y disminución de los efectos psicológicos generados por el confinamiento durante las pandemias con el objetivo de garantizar el bienestar y la salud mental de los estudiantes universitarios.
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