In:
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 15, No. 9 ( 2021-9-23), p. e0009817-
Kurzfassung:
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is endemic in the Mediterranean basin with most of the infected human patients remaining asymptomatic. Recently, the saurian-associated Leishmania tarentolae was detected in human blood donors and in sheltered dogs. The circulation of L . infantum and L . tarentolae was investigated in humans, dogs and cats living in the Pelagie islands (Sicily, Italy) by multiple serological and molecular testing. Human serum samples (n = 346) were tested to assess the exposure to L . infantum by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) and to L . tarentolae by IFAT. Meanwhile, sera from dogs (n = 149) and cats (n = 32) were tested for both Leishmania species by IFAT and all blood samples, including those of humans, by specific sets of real time-PCR for L . infantum and L . tarentolae . The agreement between serological tests performed for human samples, and between serological and molecular diagnostic techniques for both human and animal samples were also assessed. Overall, 41 human samples (11.8%, 95% CI: 8.9–15.7) were positive to L . infantum (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.3–8.1), L . tarentolae (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.3–8.1) and to both species (1.4%, 95% CI: 0.6–3.3) by serology and/or molecular tests. A good agreement among the serological tests was determined. Both Leishmania spp. were serologically and/or molecularly detected in 39.6% dogs and 43.7% cats. In addition to L . infantum , also L . tarentolae circulates in human and animal populations, raising relevant public health implications. Further studies should investigate the potential beneficial effects of L . tarentolae in the protection against L . infantum infection.
Materialart:
Online-Ressource
ISSN:
1935-2735
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.r001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.r002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.r003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817.r004
Sprache:
Englisch
Verlag:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publikationsdatum:
2021
ZDB Id:
2429704-5
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