Abstract
Leishmaniases are a spectrum of diseases caused by protozoans from the genus Leishmania(Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) and are divided into 2 main clinical forms: tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Transmission occurs after the bite of sandfly vectors (Diptera: Phlebotominae) when females take a blood meal from the vertebrate host [1]. In the New World, several species of Leishmania (~20) cause disease to man, the symptoms and epidemiology of which vary depending on species. However, there are species that are nonpathogenic to humans, such as L. enriettii. In 1946, Medina observed ear lesions in 2 farm-reared guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus [Rodentia: Cavida]) from the neighboring state of Sao Paulo. After lesion analysis, Leishmania was confirmed as the pathogen. The complete L. enriettii description was published by Muniz and Medina in 1948 at the Federal University of Parana, Brazil [2]. Although this species has been used as a model for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), many aspects of its biology remain unknown. In the past 6 years, an increased interest has emerged after the finding of a similar isolate in the red kangaroo (Macrofus rufus) in Australia [3]. This article aims to summarize some of the most important publications on this unique pathogen. It demonstrates a high phenotypic plasticity, being able to infect different vertebrate hosts and vectors. It also discusses recent human and veterinary infections due to other L. enriettii complex members.
Highlights
Since its discovery in the 1940s, L. enriettii studies have been occurring in pulses
In the 1950s and 1960s, most of the studies were focused on its biology, transmission, and epidemiology
Whole genome sequencing would be a very important tool to investigate such relationships and help to establish their real species status. The species of this complex exhibit a high phenotypic plasticity in being able to infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including humans and other vectors
Summary
It demonstrates a high phenotypic plasticity, being able to infect different vertebrate hosts and vectors. It discusses recent human and veterinary infections due to other L. enriettii complex members. After L. enriettii discovery in C. porcellus in the 1940s [4], the authors failed to infect monkeys, dogs, and wild guinea pigs (C. aperea).
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