Genetic homogeneity among Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum isolates from dog and human samples in Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area (BHMA), Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Thais Almeida Marques Da Silva,Letícia De Azevedo Silva,Mariangela Carneiro,Alexandre Barbosa Reis,Wendel Coura-Vital,Henrique Gama Ker,Fabiano Sviatopolk-Mirsky Pais,Ana Rabello,Luciana Inácia Gomes,Edward Oliveira

doi:10.1186/s13071-015-0837-y

Abstract

BackgroundCertain municipalities in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area (BHMA), Minas Gerais, Brazil, have the highest human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) mortality rates in the country and also demonstrate high canine seropositivity. In Brazil, the etiologic agent of VL is Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraspecific genetic variability of parasites from humans and from dogs with different clinical forms of VL in five municipalities of BHMA using PCR-RFLP and two target genes: kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) and gp63.MethodsIn total, 45 samples of DNA extracted from clinical samples (n = 35) or L. infantum culture (n = 10) were evaluated. These samples originated from three groups: adults (with or without Leishmania/HIV co-infection; n = 14), children (n = 18) and dogs (n = 13). The samples were amplified for the kDNA target using the MC1 and MC2 primers (447 bp), while the Sg1 and Sg2 (1330 bp) primers were used for the gp63 glycoprotein target gene.ResultsThe restriction enzyme patterns of all the samples tested were monomorphic.ConclusionsThese findings reveal a high degree of genetic homogeneity for the evaluated gene targets among L. infantum samples isolated from different hosts and representing different clinical forms of VL in the municipalities of BHMA studied.

Highlights

Certain municipalities in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area (BHMA), Minas Gerais, Brazil, have the highest human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) mortality rates in the country and demonstrate high canine seropositivity
In Brazil, VL is caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum [synonym of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi], which is an obligate intracellular protozoan belonging to the Leishmania donovani complex [4]
All 45 DNA samples analyzed in this study showed Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) gene fragment (447-bp), specific for the Leishmania donovani complex, and the gp63 gene fragment (1330-bp), specific for trypanosomatids

Summary

Introduction

Certain municipalities in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area (BHMA), Minas Gerais, Brazil, have the highest human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) mortality rates in the country and demonstrate high canine seropositivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraspecific genetic variability of parasites from humans and from dogs with different clinical forms of VL in five municipalities of BHMA using PCR-RFLP and two target genes: kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) and gp. Leishmaniasis is among the six endemic diseases considered to be priority diseases worldwide and is characterized by its great diversity and complexity [1]. In Brazil, VL is caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum [synonym of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi], which is an obligate intracellular protozoan belonging to the Leishmania donovani complex [4]. Domestic dogs are the main reservoir of this parasite, and the sandfly Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) longipalpis is the main vector of the disease [5]

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