Molecular Characterization of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Tri‑border Area of Assis Brasil, Acre State, Brazil

Abstract

SUMMARYIn this study, Leishmaniaspecies were identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The epidemiology of patients suspected of having American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the municipality of Assis Brasil, Acre State, located in the Brazil/Peru/Bolivia triborder was also investigated. By PCR, the DNA of Leishmaniawas detected in 100% of the cases (37 samples) and a PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of the hsp 70gene identified the species in 32 samples: Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (65.6%) , L. (V.) shawi (28.1%) , L. (V.) guyanensis (3.1%) and mixed infection L. (V.) guyanensis and L. (Leishmania) amazonensis (3.1%)This is the first report of L. (V.) shawiand L. (L.) amazonensis in Acre. The two predominant species were found in patients living in urban and rural areas. Most cases were found in males living in rural areas for at least three years and involved in rural work. This suggests, in most cases, a possible transmission of the disease from a rural/forest source, although some patients had not engaged in activities associated with permanence in forestall areas, which indicate a possible sandflies adaptation to the periurban setting.

Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Acre State in the Amazonian Region of Brazil

“…Infection with L. (V.) braziliensis in 61.1% of the patients suggests that this species is the main etiological agent responsible for CL cases in the municipality of Brasiléia, which agrees with previous findings in Rio Branco and other areas in Bolivia and Peru, bordering the State of Acre [6][7][8]13 . This result was expected, considering that L. (V.) braziliensis is recognized as the predominant species associated with the evolution to the mucosal form of CL in Latin America 6 .…”

“…This ongoing transmission in urban and peri-urban settings reinforces the need to better characterize the epidemiological patterns of CL in the state. A few studies have been conducted in the area, most of them in Rio Branco, the capital of Acre [6][7][8] . Furthermore, the difficulty of providing an accurate diagnosis may result in an underestimation of the incidence of leishmaniasis in Acre.…”

“…In 6 samples positive for the presence of Leishmania kDNA, identification of the parasite species by both methods was unsuccessful, raising the possibility that other L. (Viannia) species could be circulating in Brasiléia, as observed in other regions of the Brazilian Amazon 6,7 . The HaeIII/kDNA restriction profile was inconclusive, and the samples were not amplified following the 6PGD/MPI real-time PCR analysis.…”

Field Validation of SYBR Green- and TaqMan-Based Real-Time PCR Using Biopsy and Swab Samples To Diagnose American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in an Area Where Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis Is Endemic

“…1). Clinicians should be aware that in South America, approximately 3% of CL cases are caused by this species (29,30). The standardization of multiplex qPCR capable of detecting both species might improve the sensitivity of qPCR.…”

Hiperendemia de leishmaniose tegumentar na fronteira trinacional da Amazônia sul-ocidental: aspectos de adaptabilidade humana

“…Até o ano de 2008, foram registradas cinquenta e duas espécies e, posteriormente, quinze novos registros entomológicos e a descrição de três espécies novas, totalizando setenta espécies de flebotomíneos. Considerando que o conhecimento da fauna de vetores é importante para o êxito das medidas de prevenção e controle da transmissão de LT e que há pouca informação sobre a fauna de flebotomíneos local (AZEVEDO, 2008;TELES 2015;BRILHANTE, 2016), o presente trabalho visa divulgar o monitoramento anual da fauna de flebotomíneos em Assis Brasil, Acre, atualizando os dados da fauna de flebotomíneos na fronteira trinacional da Amazônia sul-ocidental.…”