[leish-l] Articles found by RefScout 2005/02/25 Newsletter 8/2005 Part I

Tue Mar 1 10:50:52 BRT 2005

----- Forwarded message from info at refscout.com -----
    Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 19:27:14
    From: info at refscout.com

New!

Have a look at our new tool, the RefScout‘s PDF-Manager (PDFM)! The RefScout‘s
PDFM will revolutionize your life with PDF files!

Simply let your PDF files be organized by the RefScout‘s PDFM in a table and get
direct link to your local copy. In addition, the RefScout‘s PDFM will alert you
each time the NLM PubMed updates information concerning your specific
reference!
Get your free 2 months trial version now at RefScout’s PDF-Manager.

This is RefScout-Newsletter 8/2005

Due to more than 100 requests your newsletter has been split. This is part 1.

REQUEST: [ leishmaniasis ]

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

PMID: 15725545

TITLE: Participation of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the
epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis.

AUTHORS: Maria Teresa Zanatta Coutinho, Lilian Lacerda Bueno, Annelise Sterzik,
Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Jose Ramiro Botelho, Mario De Maria, Odair Genaro,
Pedro Marcos Linardi

AFFILIATION: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de CiÃªncias BiolÃ³gicas,
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Caixa Postal 486, Avenida AntÃ´nio
Carlos, 6627, Campus UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901,
Brazil.

REFERENCE: Vet Parasitol 2005 Mar 128(1-2):149-55

The vectorial competence of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus is 
discussed in relation to the epidemiology of canine visceral 
leishmaniasis, taking into account its strict association with dogs and 
the low indices of natural infection presented by its known vector, the 
phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis. In order to evaluate 
natural infection by Leishmania chagasi and the infectivity of these 
parasites in the tick, 39 specimens (6 females, 11 males and 22 nymphs) 
of R. sanguineus were removed from 21 dogs showing diverse symptoms of 
zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL). Six ticks (15.4%) gave positive 
results for the genus Leishmania using the PCR technique. To determine 
the infectivity of the parasites, 36 hamsters were inoculated orally and
 peritoneally with macerates of ticks removed from nine dogs symptomatic
 for visceral leishmaniasis. After 6 months the hamsters were sacrificed
 and necropsied. Serum was removed for IFAT, as well as spleen and liver
 fragments to make imprint smears and for PCR. Eight (88.9%) of these 
dogs presented ticks that were infective for 14 hamsters (41.2%), 12 (85
.7%) of them infected peritoneally and two (14.3%) orally. PCR revealed 
27 smears (40.9%) to be positive, 20 (62.5%) of them infected 
peritoneally and seven (20.6%) orally. IFAT showed 14 positive animals (
41.2%). Based on these findings, we suggest that the vectorial capacity 
of R. sanguineus for L. chagasi should be evaluated further, opening new
 perspectives in the epidemiology of ZVL.

PMID: 15713447

TITLE: Leishmania donovani: identification of novel vaccine candidates using
human reactive sera and cell lines.

AUTHORS: Sunil K Arora, Nirbhai S Pal, S Mujtaba

AFFILIATION: Department of Immunopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

REFERENCE: Exp Parasitol 2005 Mar 109(3):163-70

Leishmaniasis is a complex of diseases caused by protozoan parasites 
belonging to the genus Leishmania. The development of specific 
resistance against re-infection after cure suggests that a vaccine 
approach is feasible. Various studies in humans and experimental animals
 strongly suggest that Th1 type of cell-mediated immune response is 
important for protection against the disease. A defined antigen that 
could elicit a specific T-cell-mediated immune response in the host 
would be an ideal candidate for the vaccine against this parasite. In 
order to select a candidate antigen, we established a screening system 
to identify the recombinant clone, expressing antigen having T-cell 
epitopes from a cDNA library. We screened the library using an 
established Leishmania specific cell line (LSCL) from a naive healthy 
human subject. The cell line with predominantly CD4(+) cells behaved in 
a Leishmania specific manner. Fifty-two immuno-reactive clones were 
screened against the LSCL in vitro and we identified three cDNA clones 
expressing recombinant antigens that could induce proliferation of these
 cells to produce INFgamma. The protective efficacy of one of these 
recombinant proteins was investigated in a hamster model of experimental
 visceral leishmaniasis and showed protection against a virulent 
challenge. The identified antigens might be potential candidates for 
vaccine against Leishmania.

PMID: 15725531

TITLE: Feline leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis in Mato
Grosso do Sul State, Brazil.

AUTHORS: Alda Izabel de Souza, EvÃ¢nia Marcia Silva Barros, Edna Ishikawa, IÃªda
Maria Novaes Ilha, Glaucia Rosely Barbosa Marin, VÃ¢nia LÃºcia BrandÃ£o Nunes

AFFILIATION: Curso de Medicina VeterinÃ¡ria, Centro de CiÃªncias BiolÃ³gicas,
AgrÃ¡rias e da SaÃºde (CCBAS),Universidade para o Desenvolvimento do Estado e
da RegiÃ£o do Pantanal (UNIDERP), rua Alexandre Herculano 1400, 79037-280 Campo
Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

REFERENCE: Vet Parasitol 2005 Mar 128(1-2):41-5

A case of leishmaniasis in a domestic cat (Felis domesticus) is 
described. The animal showed a single, nodular lesion on the nose and 
many nodules of different size on the ears and digital regions of all 
the paws. Diagnosis was made by microscopic detection of amastigotes in 
Giemsa-stained smears from the lesions. By monoclonal antibodies the 
aetiological agent was identified as Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis
, one of the seven species implicated in human leishmaniasis in Brazil. 
The clinical signs in feline leishmaniasis are unspecific and similar to
 those observed in other diseases such as cryptococcosis and in 
sporotrichosis, commonly found in cats. Leishmaniasis should therefore, 
be added to the differential diagnosis by feline veterinary 
practitioners and adequate investigations should carried out for dermal 
leishmaniasis in the area where the feline infection is detected.

PMID: 15710545

TITLE: Leishmania donovani amastigote components-induced colony-stimulating
factors production.

AUTHORS: P Singal, P P Singh

AFFILIATION: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research,
Department of Biotechnology, Sector-67, Phase-X, S.A.S. Nagar 160 062, India.

REFERENCE: Parasitol Int 2005 Mar 54(1):9-20

Increased hematopoiesis, driven by colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), is
 known to occur in infectious diseases. However, whether Leishmania 
donovani component(s) can directly induce the synthesis and secretion of
 CSFs is not known. We report that L. donovani amastigote antigens 
soluble in culture medium (LDAA; 0.01-10 mg/kg), injected intravenously 
in BALB/c mice, induced the production of serum CSFs; maximum induction
 (128>16 colonies) occurred at 1 mg/kg. In vitro also, LDAA (0.01-1 mg/
ml) induced mouse peritoneal macrophages (MOs) to elaborate CSFs in the 
conditioned medium (CM); 0.1 mg/ml LDAA appeared optimal (68+/-9 
colonies). Both in vivo and in vitro, the kinetics of CSF production 
were similar with peak response occurring 24 h after stimulation and 
return to background levels by 72 h. A predominant approximately 12 kDa 
LDAA protein (LDAA-12) also induced CSF production, both in serum and CM
, in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Rabbit anti-LDAA-12 antibody 
significantly (p<0.05) reduced both the LDAA-and LDAA-12-induced CSF 
production, in vitro. Functionally, the LDAA-12-induced CSFs, both in 
the serum and CM, appeared to be similar as they supported the formation
 of granulocyte (G), MO (M) and GM colonies, in vitro, in similar 
proportion; GM colonies were maximum (>80%). Further, LDAA-12 induced 
significantly (p<0.05) high GM-CSF levels both in serum and CM (19+/-
3 and 15+/-2 ng/ml, respectively), as compared to the controls. 
Neutralizing (100%) goat anti-mouse tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-
alpha) immunoglobulin G did not affect the LDAA-12-induced CSF 
production by MOs, indicating it to be TNF-alpha-independent. LDAA-12 
induced de novo CSF production, as MOs co-treated with LDAA-12 and 
cycloheximide (50 mug/ml) did not elaborate CSFs. The CSF-inducing 
capability of LDAA-12 appeared to be heat (70 C; 1 h)-labile, destroyed 
by proteases (pronase E and trypsin) and was unaffected by sodium 
periodate treatment. In LDAA-12-treated mice, the splenic and femur 
colony forming unit-GM counts showed a maximum of 2.2- and 1.9-fold 
increase, respectively, as compared to the controls. These data are the 
first to directly demonstrate that L. donovani amastigote components can
 induce the production of CSFs that may play important role(s) in the 
pathogenesis of visceral leishmaniasis.

PMID: 15710520

TITLE: The susceptibility of domestic cats (Felis catus) to experimental
infection with Leishmania braziliensis.

AUTHORS: L SimÃµes-Mattos, M R F Mattos, M J Teixeira, J W Oliveira-Lima, C M L
Bevilaqua, R C Prata-JÃºnior, C M Holanda, F C M Rondon, K M S Bastos, Z C B
CoÃªlho, I C B CoÃªlho, A Barral, M M L Pompeu

AFFILIATION: Faculdade de VeterinÃ¡ria (FAVET), Programa de PÃ³s-GraduaÃ§Ã£o em
CiÃªncias VeterinÃ¡rias (PPGCV), Universidade Estadual do CearÃ¡ (UECE),
CearÃ¡, CEP 60.740-000, Brazil.

REFERENCE: Vet Parasitol 2005 Feb 127(3-4):199-208

Over the last few years, several cases of feline leishmaniasis (FL) with
 cutaneous and visceral forms have been reported around the world. 
Nonetheless, the real susceptibility of cats to infection with 
Leishmania spp. and the outcome of leishmaniasis in these animals are 
poorly understood. Experimental studies on feline models will contribute
 to the knowledge of natural FL. Thus, in order to determine the 
susceptibility of domestic cats (Felis catus) to experimental infection 
with Leishmania braziliensis, 13 stray cats were infected with 10(7) 
promastigotes by the intradermal route in the ear and nose 
simultaneously and followed up for 72 weeks. Soon after infection, the 
earliest indication of a lesion was a papule on the ear at 2 weeks post-
infection (w.p.i.). The emergence of satellite papules around the 
primary lesion was observed about 4 w.p.i. Two weeks later these papules
 coalesced and formed a huge and irregular nodule. Thereafter, there was
 lesion dissemination to the external and marginal surface of the 
ipsilateral ear, and later to the contralateral ear. At 10 w.p.i., some 
nodules became ulcerated. Nose lesions presented a similar evolution. At
 both sites, the largest lesion sizes occurred at 10 w.p.i. and started 
to decrease 15 days later. Ear and nose nodules healed at 32 and 40 w.p.
i., respectively. Specific L. braziliensis IgG antibody titers (optical 
density>/=0.01 as positive result) were detected as early as 2 w.p.i. (0
.09+/-0.02) in only three animals (23%), and all cats had positive 
titers at 20 w.p.i. (0.34+/-0.06). Only three animals (38%) continued to
 show positive serology at 72 w.p.i. (0.08+/-0.02). Up to that time, 
none of the cats had lesion recurrence. In a feline model of cutaneous 
leishmaniasis, it seems that there is no correlation between active 
lesions and positive serology. The implications of these data are 
discussed.

PMID: 15710523

TITLE: Clinical and serological aspects of visceral leishmaniasis in Northeast
Brazilian dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi.

AUTHORS: M A O Almeida, E E V Jesus, M L B Sousa-Atta, L C Alves, M E A Berne, A
M Atta

AFFILIATION: Escola de Medicina VeterinÃ¡ria, Universidade Federal da Bahia,
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

REFERENCE: Vet Parasitol 2005 Feb 127(3-4):227-32

Human visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in the northeast of Brazil, 
where the domestic dog is an important parasite reservoir in the 
infectious cycle of Leishmania chagasi. In this study, we evaluated the 
clinical signs of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), serum protein 
profile and the antileishmanial IgG antibody production in 86 dogs 
living in northeast endemic areas of leishmaniasis. Thirty dogs from a 
leishmaniasis-free area were used as a control group. The major clinical
 signs of CVL seen were emaciation and skin ulcers (80%), followed by 
onychogryphosis and conjunctivitis (73%). Depilation was observed in 60
% of animals while lymphadenomegaly, splenomegaly, liver enlargement or 
kidney involvement was less frequent (</=20%). VL seropositive dogs 
presented with serum hyperproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, 
hypergammaglobulinemia and decreased albumin/globulin ratio. A lower 
sensitivity and higher specificity was observed for promastigote 
indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) (83 and 100%, respectively) 
compared with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (94 and 90%), 
which uses a crude extract of Leishmania. There was a positive 
correlation between IFAT and ELISA titers of antileishmanial IgG 
antibodies (Spearman test, P<0.05), which was augmented in CVL dogs. 
This study found that the determination of serum protein, A/G ratio and 
the use of two different leishmanial serological tests like IFAT and 
ELISA are essential in CVL screening.

PMID: 15703426

TITLE: Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly
clinicopathological exercises. Case 4-2005. A 35-year-old man with nasal
congestion, swelling, and pain.

AUTHORS: Peter F Weller, Marlene L Durand, Ben Z Pilch

AFFILIATION: Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center, Boston, USA.

REFERENCE: N Engl J Med 2005 Feb 352(6):609-15

PMID: 15712551

TITLE: Mastoid abscess caused by Nocardia in a child with visceral
leishmaniasis.

AUTHORS: Pratima Gupta, Saurabh Varshney, Biswaroop Chaterjee, R K Saxena

AFFILIATION: Department of Microbiology, Himalayan Institute of Medical
Sciences, Jollygrant, Dehradun (UA) 248140, India.

REFERENCE: Trop Doct 2005 Jan 35(1):45-6

PMID: 15626463

TITLE: Immunoglobulin G and E responses in various stages of canine
leishmaniosis.

AUTHORS: Laura Iniesta, Montserrat GÃ¡llego, Montserrat PortÃºs

AFFILIATION: Laboratori de Parasitologia, Facultat de FarmÃ cia, Universitat de
Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal s/n, Barcelona, E-08028, Spain.

REFERENCE: Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2005 Jan 103(1-2):77-81

Pathogenesis in visceral leishmaniosis is associated with depressed 
cellular immunity and a significant rise of antileishmanial antibodies. 
We assessed the relative levels of immunoglobulin E anti-Leishmania 
infantum, together with those of IgG, IgG1 and IgG2, using the enzyme-
linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, in non-infected and infected 
dogs with or without symptoms, and their association with symptoms to 
differentiate the stages of the infection. The expression of all 
immunoglobulins (IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgE) was higher in symptomatic dogs
 than in all other categories. IgG and IgG2 expression was higher in the
 infected asymptomatic group than in the non-infected group, whereas 
IgG1 and IgE expression was only higher in symptomatic animals. This 
correlation between the expression of IgG1 and IgE and the pathology of 
leishmaniosis points to their potential role as markers of the active 
disease.

PMID: 15717090

TITLE: [American cutaneous leishmaniasis: phlebotomine transmission area in the
Municipality of Uberlandia, MG.]

AUTHORS: Jureth Couto Lemos, Samuel do Carmo Lima

REFERENCE: Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2005 Jan-Feb 38(1):22-6