Skip to main content

PCR for identification of species causing American cutaneous leishmaniasis

Parasitology Research volume 104, Article number: 691 (2009) Cite this article

Abstract

Parasites of the complexes Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana, Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, and Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi coexist within the same endemic areas of the American Continent. They produce similar clinical manifestations, yet not all respond well to treatment with anti-leishmania drugs. Thus, high specificity and sensitivity are needed to improve diagnosis and treatment. We developed a highly specific and sensitive polymerase chain reaction based diagnostic method that permits the identification of parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania and the differentiation between parasites belonging to the L. (L.) mexicana and L. (V.) braziliensis complexes and the identification of species of the L. (L.) mexicana complex, such as L. (L.) mexicana, Leishmania (L.) amazonensis, and Leishmania (L.) venezuelensis. This PCR permits the specific identification of Leishmania species in tissues of patients with different clinical forms of leishmaniasis. Its high sensitivity and specificity allow a precise diagnosis in lesions of patients that harbor few parasites, where the microscopic evaluation is unreliable. Additionally, this PCR could be a valuable tool for the identification of Leishmania species in mammalian reservoirs and sand fly vectors present in the American Continent.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Berzunza-Cruz M, Cabrera N, Crippa-Rossi M, Pérez-Montfort R, Becker I (2002) Polymorphism analysis of the internal transcribed spacer and small subunit of ribosomal RNA genes of Leishmania mexicana. Parasitol Res 88:918–925

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cupolillo E, Grimaldi G, Momen H, Beverley SM (1995) Intergenic region typing (IRT): a rapid molecular approach to the characterization and evolution of Leishmania. Mol Biochem Parasitol 73:145–155

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies CR, Llanos-Cuentas EA, Pyke SD, Dye C (1995) Cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Peruvian Andes: an epidemiological study of infection and immunity. Epidemiol Infect 114:297–318

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dávila AMR, Momen H (2000) Internal-transcribed-spacer (ITS) sequences used to explore phylogenetic relationships within Leishmania. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 94:651–654

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimaldi G, Tesh RB, McMahon-Pratt D (1989) A review of the geographic distribution and epidemiology of leishmaniasis in the New World. Am J Trop Med Hyg 41:687–725

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herwaldt BL (1999) Leishmaniasis. The Lancet 354:1191–1199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Montes O, Monroy-Ostria A, McCann S, Barker DC (1998) Identification of Mexican Leishmania species by analysis of PCR amplified DNA. Acta Tropica 71:139–153

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones TC, Johnson WD Jr, Barretto AC, Lago E, Badaro R, Cerf B, Reed SG, Netto EM, Tada MS, Franca TF et al (1987) Epidemiology of American cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis. J Infect Dis 156:73–83

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lainson R (1983) The American leishmaniases: some observations on their ecology and epidemiology. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 77:569–596

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas CM, Franke ED, Cachay MI, Tejada A, Cruz ME, Kreutzer RD, Barker DC, McCann SH, Watts DM (1998) Geographic distribution and clinical description of leishmaniasis cases in Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg 59:312–317

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Navin TR, Arana BA, Arana FE, Berman JD, Chajon JF (1992) Placebo-controlled clinical trial of sodium stibogluconate (Penstostam) versus ketoconazole for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis in Guatemala. J Infect Dis 165:528–534

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-Tejeda G, Rodríguez N, Parra CI, Hernández-Montes O, Barrer DC, Monroy-Ostria A (2001) Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by members of Leishmania braziliensis complex in Nayarit, State of Mexico. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 96:15–19

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Velasco-Castrejon O, Savarino S, Neva F, Guzman-Bracho C (1989) Los agentes etiológicos de las leishmaniasis cutáneas en México. Presencia de L. braziliensis en Mexico. Rev Lat Amer Microbiol 31:231–234

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Rocely Cervantes Sarabia, Adriana Ruiz Remigio, José Delgado Domínguez, Daniel Sánchez Almaraz, Alejandro Padilla Trejo, and Marco Gudiño Zayas for their valuable assistance and Lucía Alvarez Trejo for excellent secretarial support.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina UNAM, Hospital General de México, Dr. Balmis 148, 06726, México, México

    Miriam Berzunza-Cruz, Norma Salaiza Suazo & Ingeborg Becker

  2. Centro de Investigaciones en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Av. Agustín Melgar, Colonia Lindavista, 24030, Campeche, México

    Guadalupe Bricaire

  3. Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, UNAM, México, 04510, México

    Ruy Pérez-Montfort

Authors
  1. Miriam Berzunza-Cruz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guadalupe Bricaire
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Norma Salaiza Suazo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ruy Pérez-Montfort
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ingeborg Becker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ingeborg Becker.

Additional information

This work was supported by the CONACyT 47256-M and DGAPA IN221806-3

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Berzunza-Cruz, M., Bricaire, G., Salaiza Suazo, N. et al. PCR for identification of species causing American cutaneous leishmaniasis. Parasitol Res 104, 691 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1247-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-008-1247-2

Keywords

  • Visceral Leishmaniasis
  • Leishmaniasis
  • Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
  • Leishmania Species
  • Granuloma Annulare