Detection of Leishmania infantum in naturally infected Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) and Canis familiaris in Misiones, Argentina: the first report of a PCR-RFLP and sequencing-based confirmation assay

Abstract

In this study, a genotypification of Leishmaniawas performed using polimerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorfism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing techniques to identify species of Leishmaniaparasites in phlebotomine sand flies and dogs naturally infected. Between January-February of 2009, CDC light traps were used to collect insect samples from 13 capture sites in the municipality of Posadas, which is located in the province of Misiones of Argentina. Sand flies identified as Lutzomyia longipalpiswere grouped into 28 separate pools for molecular biological analysis. Canine samples were taken from lymph node aspirates of two symptomatic stray animals that had been positively diagnosed with canine visceral leishmaniasis. One vector pool of 10 sand flies (1 out of the 28 pools tested) and both of the canine samples tested positively for Leishmania infantumby PCR and RFLP analysis. PCR products were confirmed by sequencing and showed a maximum identity with L. infantum. Given that infection was detected in one out of the 28 pools and that at least one infected insect was infected, it was possible to infer an infection rate at least of 0.47% for Lu. longipalpisamong the analyzed samples. These results contribute to incriminate Lu. longipalpis as the vector of L. infantumin the municipality of Posadas, where cases of the disease in humans and dogs have been reported since 2005

Genetic and clinical characterization of canine leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in northeastern Argentina

“…An invasion of the cycles by an accidental host, for example in deforestation activities, could have triggered the occurrence of sporadic cases of human visceral leishmaniasis, such as happened in Salta province, in northwestern Argentina (Barrio et al, 2012). This parasite could also be transferred from its wild source to domestic animals, like the dogs, that in the appropriate circumstances, could change their status from accidental host to reservoirs, establishing an urban transmission cycle, as happened in Posadas city (Acardi et al, 2010). Both the urban and wild cycles could remain connected, hampering the control of human disease if only the domestic reservoirs are culled down.…”

First description of Migonemyia migonei (França) and Nyssomyia whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho) (Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) natural infected by Leishmania infantum in Argentina

“…There are 36 species of Phlebotomine sandflies described for Argentina (Casertano et al, 2015;Fernández et al, 2012;Salomón et al, 2010a), some of which have been found naturally infected with Leishmania spp. parasites: N. neivai, N. whitmani, Micropygomyia quinquefer and the Cortelezzi complex, the last one with L. braziliensis infection; while L. infantum was detected in L. longipalpis (Acardi et al, 2010;Córdoba-Lanús et al, 2006;Rosa et al, 2012;Salomón et al, 2009). …”

“…In this province the dishttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.09.015 0001-706X/© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ease has been associated to L. infantum infected dogs and Lutzomyia longipalpis sandflies (primary vector) within urban transmission cycles (Acardi et al, 2010;Lainson and Rangel, 2005;Salomón et al, 2011).…”

Caso alóctone de leishmaniose visceral canina, no município de Campo Mourão, Paraná, Brasil

“…No Estado do Paraná tem sido realizado levantamento da fauna flebotomínea em áreas consideradas vulneráveis para transmissão da LV, ou seja, em municípios limítrofes com estados (Mato Grosso do Sul e São Paulo) e países (Paraguai e Argentina) que apresentam casos humanos ou caninos da doença (VIDES et al, 2009;ACARDI et al, 2010). Até os dias atuais, não há relatos da presença do flebotomíneo Lutzomyia longipalpis no Paraná ou em outros estados do Sul do Brasil (FREHSE et al, 2010).…”

“…Atualmente, diversos países da América do Sul, tais como Argentina e Paraguai, vem apresentando, de forma crescente, relatos da enfermidade em cães e em humanos, entretanto, o Brasil é responsável por 90% dos casos da América Latina (ACARDI et al, 2010;BRASIL, 2010). Entre os anos de 2000 a 2010, foram notificadas 31.098 pessoas com leishmaniose visceral (LV), em todo território brasileiro, além de ser verificado um aumento nas taxas de letalidade que elevou de três para sete o número de óbitos em cada 100 indivíduos doentes, com cerca de 200 casos fatais por ano.…”