[leish-l] Fwd: Articles found by RefScout 50/2004-07/12/04

Sat Dec 11 13:46:32 BRST 2004

    Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 22:59:44
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This is RefScout-Newsletter 50/2004 

REQUEST: [ leishmaniasis ]

(9 articles match this request. 1 article matching other requests removed)

PMID: 15578370

TITLE: Old World Leishmaniasis: An Emerging Infection among Deployed US Military
and Civilian Workers.

AUTHORS: Peter J Weina, Ronald C Neafie, Glenn Wortmann, Mark Polhemus, Naomi E
Aronson

AFFILIATION: Leishmania Diagnostics Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of
Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA. naronson at usuhs.mil.

REFERENCE: Clin Infect Dis 2004 Dec 39(11):1674-80

Many veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom are now returning to the United
 States after potential exposure to leishmaniasis. In the past year, 
large numbers of leishmaniasis cases of a magnitude not encountered in 
the United States since World War II have challenged clinicians in both 
the military and the civilian sectors. Many Reserve and National Guard 
troops were deployed to Iraq and are now back in their communities. 
Hundreds of leishmaniasis cases, which were managed by a few 
practitioners initially, permitted further appreciation of the 
epidemiology and diagnostic and treatment options for Old World 
leishmaniasis. We describe the current situation, with on-the-ground 
experience, complimented by a literature review, and we provide a 
practical list of options for the clinician likely to encounter this 
parasitic infection in the coming months and years.

PMID: 15569809

TITLE: New world mucosal and cutaneous leishmaniasis: an emerging health problem
among British travellers.

AUTHORS: S D Lawn, J Whetham, P L Chiodini, J Kanagalingam, J Watson, R H
Behrens, D N J Lockwood

AFFILIATION: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT.
stevelawn at yahoo.co.uk.

REFERENCE: QJM 2004 Dec 97(12):781-8

BACKGROUND: Mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) is an important complication of 
new world cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by species of the 
Leishmania Viannia subgenus. Previous reports of ML among travellers to 
Latin America are few. AIMS: To determine the annual number of cases of 
CL due to L. Viannia species diagnosed at this institution and to 
correlate this with changing patterns of travel. Secondly, to document 
the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of ML at 
this institution. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. METHODS: 
Data were collected from a clinical database, laboratory records, 
patient case notes and an international passenger survey. RESULTS: 
Between 1995 and 2003, the annual number of cases of CL (total 79) 
steadily increased from 4 per year to 18 per year; the estimated number 
of travellers from the UK to Latin America increased 3.5-fold. Six cases
 of ML were diagnosed among British travellers in 1995 (1), 1997 (1) and
 2002 (4). These infections were acquired in Bolivia (3), Colombia (2) 
and Belize (1). Nasopharyngeal symptoms developed 0-15 months after 
returning to the UK. Four patients had concurrent CL at diagnosis. 
Diagnosis of ML was delayed up to 6 months from the onset of symptoms. 
Mucosal biopsies from all 6 patients were PCR-positive for L. (Viannia) 
DNA; microscopy and culture were less sensitive. ML relapsed in one 
patient following treatment. DISCUSSION: Increasing travel to Latin 
America from the UK was associated with an increasing number of 
diagnoses of L. Viannia CL. ML is likely to emerge as a more frequently 
imported infection among such travellers. Familiarity with these 
diseases is important for prompt diagnosis and optimal management.

PMID: 15490237

TITLE: Distribution of sandfly species in relation to canine leishmaniasis from
the Ebro Valley to Valencia, northeastern Spain.

AUTHORS: Ana M Aransay, Johann M Testa, Francisco Morillas-Marquez, Javier
Lucientes, Paul D Ready

AFFILIATION: Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Entomology Department, Natural
History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD, London, UK.

REFERENCE: Parasitol Res 2004 Dec 94(6):416-20

In Spain, only two of the 12 recorded species of sandflies, Phlebotomus
 (Larroussius) ariasi Tonnoir and P. (L.) perniciosus Newstead, are 
proven vectors of Leishmania infantum Nicolle, the causative agent of 
endemic leishmaniasis. Studies of the distributions of phlebotomine 
sandflies are important for evaluating the possible effects of climate 
warming on any northward or altitudinal range shifts of leishmaniasis or
 the other diseases they transmit. We describe a recent sandfly survey 
in Spain, starting in the northern Ebro Valley and continuing southeast 
into the Levante region of the Mediterranean coast. Sandflies ( P. 
ariasi only) were found for the first time in the northern province of 
Alava, in the upper Ebro Valley, where cases of canine leishmaniasis 
have been described during the last decade. Throughout the provinces 
sampled, P. ariasi predominated over P. perniciosus in cooler 
bioclimatic zones, and this statistically significant pattern was more 
marked than that with higher altitudes.

PMID: 15355995

TITLE: Camptothecin-induced Imbalance in Intracellular Cation Homeostasis
Regulates Programmed Cell Death in Unicellular Hemoflagellate Leishmania
donovani.

AUTHORS: Nilkantha Sen, Benu Brata Das, Agneyo Ganguly, Tanmoy Mukherjee, Santu
Bandyopadhyay, Hemanta K Majumder

AFFILIATION: Division of Molecular Parasitology, Division of Infectious Disease,
and Division of Immunology, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C.
Mullick Road, Kolkata 700 032, India.

REFERENCE: J Biol Chem 2004 Dec 279(50):52366-75

Leishmania, a unicellular trypanosomatid protozoan parasite, causes a 
wide range of human diseases ranging from the localized self-healing 
cutaneous lesions to fatal visceral leishmaniasis. However, it undergoes
 a process of programmed cell death during treatment with the 
topoisomerase I poison camptothecin (CPT). The present study shows that 
CPT-induced formation of reactive oxygen species increases the level of 
cytosolic calcium through the release of calcium ions from intracellular
 stores as well as by influx of extracellular calcium. Elevation of 
cytosolic calcium is responsible for depolarization of mitochondrial 
membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)), which is followed by a significant 
decrease in intracellular pH levels. CPT-induced oxidative stress also 
causes impairment of the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase pump and subsequently 
decreases the intracellular K(+) level in leishmanial cells. A decrease 
in both intracellular pH and K(+) levels propagates the apoptotic 
process through activation of caspase 3-like proteases by rapid 
formation of cytochrome c-mediated apoptotic complex. In addition to 
caspase-like protease activation, a lower level of intracellular K(+) 
also enhances the activation of apoptotic nucleases at the late stage of
 apoptosis. This suggests that the physiological level of pH and K(+) 
are inhibitory for apoptotic DNA fragmentation and caspase-like protease
 activation in leishmanial cells. Moreover, unlike mammalian cells, the 
intracellular ATP level gradually decreases with an increase in the 
number of apoptotic cells after the loss of DeltaPsi(m). Taken together
, the elucidation of biochemical events, which tightly regulate the 
process of growth arrest and death of Leishmania donovani promastigotes
, allows us to define a more comprehensive view of cell death during 
treatment with CPT.

PMID: 15577769

TITLE: Cutaneous leishmaniasis in soldiers returning from deployment to Iraq.

AUTHORS: James F Pehoushek, David M Quinn, William P Crum

REFERENCE: J Am Acad Dermatol 2004 Nov 51(5 Suppl):S197-200

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is becoming a frequently encountered problem in 
soldiers returning from deployments to areas in Southwest Asia. Two 
cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis diagnosed at a military treatment 
facility in soldiers returning from Iraq are presented. Diagnostic 
considerations and procedures are reviewed as are the histopathologic 
findings and treatment options.

PMID: 15569787

TITLE: Comparison of generic to branded pentavalent antimony for treatment of
new world cutaneous leishmaniasis.

AUTHORS: J Soto, L Valda-Rodriquez, J Toledo, L Vera-Navarro, M Luz, H
Monasterios-Torrico, J Vega, J Berman

AFFILIATION: Consorcio de Investigaciones BioclÃnicas, Bogota, Colombia;
FundaciÃ³n Fader, Bogota, Colombia; Hospital de Clinicas, La Paz, Bolivia;
North Bethesda, Maryland.

REFERENCE: Am J Trop Med Hyg 2004 Nov 71(5):577-81

The cost of generic pentavalent antimony (generic stibogluconate) is 
approximately one-sixth that of branded pentavalent antimony (
stibogluconate in the form of Pentostam((R)) or meglumine antimoniate in
 the form of Glucantime((R))). We compared generic stibogluconate to 
Pentostam and Glucantime for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis 
patients in Bolivia and Colombia. For all 114 patients, the per-protocol
 cure rates were 83-91% and the intent-to-treat cure rates were 75-83%. 
The highest values were in the generic stibogluconate group. The 
incidence of pancreatic enzyme abnormalities was 48-88% and the 
incidence of liver enzyme abnormalities was 48-87%. The lowest 
incidences were in the generic stibogluconate group. The efficacy and 
tolerance of inexpensive generic stibogluconate appears comparable to 
branded formulations for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in 
these endemic regions.

PMID: 15574294

TITLE: [Visceral leishmaniasis in a patient treated with chemotherapy and
radiotherapy for a cavum carcinoma.]

AUTHORS: Ignacio Gil-Bazo, Agata PÃ©rez-Ochoa, Carlos Panizo Santos, Marta
Moreno JimÃ©nez

AFFILIATION: Departamento de OncologÃa.ClÃnica Universitaria de Navarra.
Universidad de Navarra. Pamplona. Navarra. EspaÃ±a.

REFERENCE: Med Clin (Barc) 2004 Nov 123(19):759

PMID: 15571500

TITLE: Treatment of protozoan infections.

AUTHORS: Karan K Sra, Julie Sracic, Stephen K Tyring

AFFILIATION: Center for Clinical Studies, Houston, TX.

REFERENCE: Dermatol Ther 2004  17(6):513-6

Protozoan infections can have a variety of different cutaneous 
manifestations in addition to systemic signs and symptoms of disease. 
Recognition and diagnosis can be difficult, as additional laboratory 
tests, in addition to biopsies, may be required. Treatment options for 
different protozoa vary and resolution of disease may be refractory 
despite lengthy treatment courses. An overview of cutaneous 
manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment regimen of amebiasis, 
leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, and toxoplasmosis is outlined in this 
article.

REQUEST: [ leishmania ]

(8 articles match this request. 3 articles matching other requests removed)

PMID: 15549728

TITLE: Development of an anti-IL-12 p40 auto-vaccine: protection in experimental
autoimmune encephalomyelitis at the expense of increased sensitivity to
infection.

AUTHORS: Catherine Uyttenhove, Berenice Arendse, Vincent Stroobant, Frank
Brombacher, Jacques Van Snick

AFFILIATION: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Brussels Branch, Brussels,
Belgium.

REFERENCE: Eur J Immunol 2004 Dec 34(12):3572-81

IL-12 and IL-23, which share the IL-12 p40 subunit, have been ascribed 
central roles in many autoimmune disorders. We describe here an anti-IL-
12 (alphaIL-12) auto-vaccine that potentially blocks both factors in 
vivo. Immunization of mice with mouse IL-12 coupled to OVA or Pan DR 
epitope (PADRE) peptide induced Ab directed against the IL-12 p40 
subunit, which prevented IFN-gamma production in response to IL-12 
administration in vivo. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an IL
-23-dependent disease model, induced in SJL mice with a proteolipid 
protein (PLP) peptide was almost undetectable after alphaIL-12 
vaccination. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced disease 
in C57BL/6 mice was also significantly inhibited. This protection 
correlated with inhibited Th1 cytokine responses in vitro and with an 
increase in the IgG1/IgG2a anti-PLP Ab balance. Detrimental consequences
 of alphaIL-12 vaccination were evaluated in C57BL/6 mice infected with 
Leishmania major (L.m.). While delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) 
suppression and immunoglobulin as well as interleukin production 
patterns reflected a major shift toward a Th2-type response, L.m. growth
 was still significantly retarded as compared to that seen in 
susceptible BALB/c mice. However, vaccinated animals ultimately failed 
to control parasite expansion. These results suggest that some chronic 
autoimmune diseases may benefit from alphaIL-12 vaccination at the 
expense of reduced, but not completely abrogated, cell-mediated immunity.

PMID: 15557613

TITLE: The Leishmania major LACK antigen with an immunodominant epitope at amino
acids 156 to 173 is not required for early Th2 development in BALB/c mice.

AUTHORS: Ben L Kelly, Richard M Locksley

AFFILIATION: Departmrnt of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University
of California-San Francisco, UCSF Medical Center, Room C-443, 521 Parnassus
Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0654, USA.

REFERENCE: Infect Immun 2004 Dec 72(12):6924-31

The Leishmania major LACK antigen contains an immunodominant epitope at 
amino acids 156 to 173 (LACK(156-173)) that is believed to nucleate the 
pathological Th2 immune response in susceptible BALB/c mice. To test 
this hypothesis, we generated L. major parasites that express a mutated 
LACK that fails to activate Vbeta4/Valpha8 T-cell receptor transgenic T 
cells specific for this epitope. Although mutant parasites attenuated 
the expansion of endogenous LACK-specific, interleukin-4 (IL-4)-
expressing, CD4 T cells compared to wild-type parasites in vivo, the 
overall frequency of IL-4 and gamma interferon-secreting lymphocytes was
 similar to that elicited by wild-type L. major. Mutant parasites 
demonstrated diminished amastigote viability and delayed lesion 
development in mice, although parasites could be recovered over 200 days
 after infection. Complementation with a wild-type lack fusion construct
 partially rescued these defects, indicating a role for endogenous LACK 
in parasitism. Mice inoculated with mutant parasites were not protected 
against subsequent infection with wild-type L. major.

PMID: 15557638

TITLE: Characterization of a defensin from the sand fly Phlebotomus duboscqi
induced by challenge with bacteria or the protozoan parasite Leishmania major.

AUTHORS: Nathalie Boulanger, Carl Lowenberger, Petr Volf, Raul Ursic, Lucie
Sigutova, Laurence Sabatier, Milena Svobodova, Stephen M Beverley, Gerald
SpÃ¤th, Reto Brun, Bernard Pesson, Philippe Bulet

REFERENCE: Infect Immun 2004 Dec 72(12):7140-6

Antimicrobial peptides are major components of the innate immune 
response of epithelial cells. In insect vectors, these peptides may play
 a role in the control of gut pathogens. We have analyzed antimicrobial 
peptides produced by the sand fly Phlebotomus duboscqi, after challenge 
by injected bacteria or feeding with bacteria or the protozoan parasite 
Leishmania major. A new hemolymph peptide with antimicrobial activity 
was identified and shown to be a member of the insect defensin family. 
Interestingly, this defensin exhibits an antiparasitic activity against 
the promastigote forms of L. major, which reside normally within the 
sand fly midgut. P. duboscqi defensin could be induced by both hemolymph
 or gut infections. Defensin mRNA was induced following infection by 
wild-type L. major, and this induction was much less following 
infections with L. major knockout mutants that survive poorly in sand 
flies, due to specific deficiencies in abundant cell surface 
glycoconjugates containing phosphoglycans (including lipophosphoglycan
). The ability of gut pathogens to induce gut as well as fat body 
expression of defensin raises the possibility that this antimicrobial 
peptide might play a key role in the development of parasitic infections.

PMID: 15569786

TITLE: Characterization of the early cellular immune response to leishmania
major using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from leishmania-naive humans.

AUTHORS: Kathleen A Rogers, Richard G Titus

AFFILIATION: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of
Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort
Collins, Colorado.

REFERENCE: Am J Trop Med Hyg 2004 Nov 71(5):568-76

While the response to Leishmania major is well characterized in mice, 
there is much less known about the human immune response, particularly 
early after exposure to the parasite. Therefore, we developed a primary 
in vitro (PIV) system that allowed us to address these questions. We co-
cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Leishmania-naive donors
 with L. major parasites and found that the responding PIV cells 
produced interferon-gamma and interleukin-12 (IL-12). When restimulated
, these PIV cells also occasionally produced IL-5. Both CD4 and CD8 
cells and both HLA class I and II cell activation pathways appeared to 
play a role in the PIV system, and cell activation was dependent upon 
the presence of antigen-presenting cells. Moreover, PIV cells generated 
with L. major showed considerable cross-reactivity with other species of
 Leishmania. Finally, the PIV cells augmented intracellular killing of L
. major when they were co-cultured with macrophages infected with the 
parasite.

PMID: 15579321

TITLE: Leishmania parasites (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) reversibly
inhibit visceral muscle contractions in hemimetabolous and holometabolous
insects.

AUTHORS: Rajeev Vaidyanathan

AFFILIATION: Department of Parasitology, Hadassah Medical School, Hebrew
University, Ein Kerem, P.O. Box 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.

REFERENCE: J Invertebr Pathol 2004 Oct 87(2-3):123-8

Female sand flies can acquire protozoan parasites in the genus 
Leishmania when feeding on an infected vertebrate host. The parasites 
complete a complex growth cycle in the sand fly gut until they are 
transmitted by bite to another host. Recently, a myoinhibitory peptide 
was isolated from Leishmania major promastigotes. This peptide caused 
significant gut distension and reversible, dose-dependent inhibition of 
spontaneous hindgut contractions in the enzootic sand fly vector, 
Phlebotomus papatasi. The current study further characterizes 
myoinhibitory activity in L. major and other kinetoplastid parasites, 
using the P. papatasi hindgut and other insect organ preparations. 
Myoinhibitory activity was greatest in cultured promastigotes and in 
culture medium in late log-phase and early stationary-phase, coinciding 
with development of infective Leishmania morphotypes in the sand fly 
midgut. L. major promastigote lysates inhibited spontaneous contractions
 of visceral muscle preparations from hemimetabolous (Blattaria and 
Hemiptera) and holometabolous (Diptera) insects. Inhibition of visceral 
muscle contractions in three insect orders indicates a conserved mode of
 action. Myoinhibitory activity was detected also in Leishmania 
braziliensis braziliensis, a Sudanese strain of Leishmania donovani, and
 the kinetoplastid parasite Leptomonas seymouri. Protozoan-induced 
myoinhibition mimics the effect of insect myotropins. Inhibiting host 
gut contractions protects Leishmania parasites from being excreted after
 blood meal and peritrophic matrix digestion, allowing development and 
transmission of infective forms.

REQUEST: [ sand fly ]

(2 articles match this request. 2 articles matching other requests removed)

REQUEST: [ sandfly ]

(1 article matches this request. 1 article matching other requests removed)

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