[leish-l] LEISHMANIASIS, CUTANEOUS, KANGAROOS - AUSTRALIA

[jeffreyj at usp.br]

> LEISHMANIASIS, CUTANEOUS, KANGAROOS - AUSTRALIA (04)
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> From: "Sara F. Kerrr" <kerrmchugh at lstx.net>
> To: <promed at promedmail.org>
> Subject: Leishmania in kangaroos
> Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 16:10:38 -0500
> 
> 
> I agree with Karrie Rose that the Leishmania isolated from kangaroos
> could be endemic to Australia.  
> 
> In reading Rose et al.'s recent publication in the International
> Journal for Parasitiology, I noticed that the Leishmania isolate from
> kangaroos was only compared to isolates of Leishmania (Leishmania),
> and not to any Leishmania (Viannia) species.  The Leishmania (Viannia)
> subgenus is restricted to South and Central America; hosts are South
> American edentates (sloths, armadillos) and marsupials, which have
> cooler core body temperatures than  placentals; and the temperature of
> optimum growth of amastigotes (the form found in mammals) is about 32
> degrees C, similar to the optimum infectivity of mouse macrophages at
> 33 degrees C rather than 37 degrees C found by Rose et al.  
> 
> Furthermore, at least one hypothesis suggests that marsupials
> dispersed from South America via Antarctica to Australia (Martin 1977,
> cited in Nowak 1991), which suggests a possible dispersal route for
> Leishmania from South America to Australia in marsupials.  I look
> forward to hearing further results from these studies.
> 
> Nowak, RM.  1991.  Walker's Mammals of the World.  Fifth Edition. 
> Volume 1. p12.
> 
> Sara F. Kerr, PhD
> Sr. Joseph Marie Armer Chair
> Professor of Biology
> University of the Incarnate Word
> 4301 Broadway
> San Antonio, TX 78209
> (210) 829 3155
> 
> [A most interesting and challenging hypothesis! One can hope that the
> Australian group will further test their isolates in the light of this
> suggestion. MHJ Mod]
> 
> [See also:
> Leishmaniasis, cutaneous, kangaroos - Australia: conf. 20040506.1242
> Leishmaniasis, cutaneous, kangaroos - Australia (02)   20040507.1247
> Leishmaniasis, cutaneous, kangaroos - Australia (03)   20040512.1285]
> .........................................mpp/mhj/
>