Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) from different endemic regions of China expresses different clinic and epidemiological features, and traditionally is classified as hilly, plain and desert types/foci. We concentrated our review on whether the pathogens from those foci were different at molecular level, if so, whether there are were molecular markers readily identifiable by molecular technologies. This was a review of a 20-year search for such markers by using kinetoplastic DNA (kDNA), nDNA hybridization, PCR-SSCP, RAPD and sequence analysis of SSU rDNA variable regions and LACK gene. The results showed that heterogeneities at molecular level exist in Leishmania isolated from different foci of China, which could be used as markers for different types of Leishmaniasis in China.
China ; DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA, Protozoan ; analysis ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Leishmania donovani ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral ; classification ; parasitology ; Mutation

The identification and characterization of antigens that elicit human T cell responses is an important step toward understanding of Leishmania major infection and ultimately in the development of a vaccine. Micropreparative SDS-PAGE followed by electrotransfer to a PVDF membrane and elution of proteins from the PVDF, was used to separate 2 novel proteins from L. major promastigotes, which can induce antibodies of the IgG2a isotype in mice and also are recognized by antisera of recovered human cutaneous leishmaniasis subjects. Fractionation of the crude extract of L. major revealed that all detectable proteins of interest were present within the soluble Leishmania antigens (SLA). Quantitation of these proteins showed that their expression in promastigotes is relatively very low. Considering the molecular weight, immunoreactivity, chromatographic and electrophoretic behavior in reducing and non-reducing conditions, these proteins are probably 2 isoforms of a single protein. A digest of these proteins was resolved on Tricine-SDS-PAGE and immunoreactive fragments were identified by human sera. Two immunoreactive fragments (36.4 and 34.8 kDa) were only generated by endoproteinase Glu-C treatment. These immunoreactive fragments or their parent molecules may be ideal candidates for incorporation in a cocktail vaccine against cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Animals ; Antigens, Protozoan/*chemistry/*isolation & purification ; Blotting, Western ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel/methods ; Humans ; Leishmania major/growth & development/*immunology ; Protein Isoforms/chemistry/isolation & purification

Leishmaniasis, a neglected disease caused by Leishmania protozoans, primarily affects people in tropical and subtropical areas. Chemotherapy based on the use of pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, paromomycin, miltefosine and liposomal amphotericin B is currently the only effective treatment. However, adverse effects, long-term treatment and the emergence of parasite resistance have led to the search for alternative treatments. Natural products used in traditional medicine provide an unlimited source of molecules for the identification of new drugs, and the Amazon region has abundant biodiversity that includes several species of plants and animals, providing a rich source of new products and compounds. Although the literature describes numerous promising compounds and extracts for combating Leishmania protozoans, the results of such research have not been embraced by the pharmaceutical industry for the development of new drugs. Therefore, this review focused on the antileishmanial activity of extracts, isolated compounds and essential oils commonly used by the local population in the Brazilian Amazonian region to treat several illnesses and described in the literature as promising compounds for combating leishmaniasis.
Animals ; Antiprotozoal Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Brazil ; Humans ; Leishmania ; drug effects ; genetics ; growth & development ; Leishmaniasis ; drug therapy ; parasitology ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Leishmania tropica ; isolation & purification ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar mainly affects children in endemic areas. This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of VL using direct agglutination test (DAT) in children living in rural districts of Alborz Province located 30 km from Tehran capital city of Iran. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was applied. Blood samples were randomly collected from 1,007 children under 10 years of age in the clusters. A total of 37 (3.7%) of the studied population showed anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies with titers of > or =1:800. There was a significant association between positive sera and various parts of the rural areas of Alborz Province (P<0.002). Two children with anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies titers of > or =1:3,200 indicated kala-azar clinical features and treated with anti-leishmaniasis drugs in pediatric hospital. The findings of this study indicated that Leishmania infection is prevalent in rural areas of Alborz Province. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the awareness and alertness among physicians and public health managers, particularly in high-risk rural areas of the province in Iran.
Antibodies, Protozoan/blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Iran/epidemiology ; Leishmania infantum/immunology/isolation & purification/physiology ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral/blood/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Male ; *Rural Health ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a rare disease. This is a solitary case report from Orissa, India. We describe a case of PKDL in a 55-year-old male who presented with multiple nodular lesions over face, trunk, and extremities. The patient had been to an endemic area of kala-azar and had a previous history of leishmaniasis. Fine needle aspiration cytology samples from skin nodules revealed Leishmania amastigotes.
Antimony Sodium Gluconate/therapeutic use ; Antiprotozoal Agents/therapeutic use ; Humans ; India ; Leishmania/isolation & purification ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis/drug therapy/*parasitology/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin/*parasitology/pathology

Experimental murine models with high, intermediate and low levels of genetically based susceptibility to Leishmania major infection reproduce almost entire spectrum of clinical manifestations of the human disease. There are increasing non-comparative studies on immune responses against isolated antigens of L. major in different murine strains. The aim of the present study was to find out whether there is an antigen that can induce protective immune response in resistant and susceptible murine strains. To do that, crude antigenic extract of procyclic and metacyclic promastigotes of L. major was prepared and subjected to SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Western-blotting was used to search for antigen(s) capable of raising high antibody level of IgG2a versus IgG1 in the sera of both infected resistant and susceptible strains. Two novel antigens from metacyclic promastigotes of L. major (140 and 152 kDa) were potentially able to induce specific dominant IgG2a responses in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. The 2 antigens also reacted with IgG antibody of cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. We confirm that 140 and 152 kDa proteins of L. major promastigotes are inducing IgG production in mice and humans.
Protozoan Proteins/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice ; Life Cycle Stages/immunology ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/immunology ; Leishmania major/*immunology ; Immunoglobulin G/*biosynthesis/blood ; Humans ; Female ; Blotting, Western/methods ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Animals

In order to profoundly understand the clinical and laboratorial characteristics and inducing factors of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome (HLH), 28 HLH patients received from 2004 to 2009 years in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The results indicated that all of the patients had a history with prolonged fever (more than 1 week), pancytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, elevated ferritin level, hypofibrinogen, and hemophagocytosis in bone marrow. HLH was the first characteristic sign of malignant lymphoma in 9 patients; 1 patient had a clinical manifestation similar to fulminant hepatic failure; severe psycho-abnormality occurred in 1 HLH patient and pronounced hemophagocytosis were detected in his cerebrospinal fluid; 1 patient was eventually diagnosed as having HLH by the findings in a lymph node biopsy showing obvious hemophagocytosis. Additionally, the analysis of underlying factors in 28 patients with HLH indicated 11 patients with EB virus-associated HLH, 11 with lymphoma-associated HLH, 2 with Leishmania-associated HLH, and 3 with autoimmune disease-associated HLH. It is concluded that HLH disease is characterised with high heterogenicity in both clinical features and inducing factors; in addition, the patients from a pasturing area should be paid attention to parasite infection such as leishmania.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Autoimmune Diseases ; complications ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Leishmania ; isolation & purification ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; complications ; diagnosis ; parasitology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were alpha-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 mug/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 mug/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 mug/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.
Animals ; Antiprotozoal Agents/isolation & purification/*pharmacology/toxicity ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Cyclohexanols/isolation & purification/pharmacology/toxicity ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Leishmania tropica/*drug effects/physiology ; Macrophages/drug effects ; Mice ; Monoterpenes/isolation & purification/pharmacology/toxicity ; Myrtus/*chemistry ; Oils, Volatile/isolation & purification/*pharmacology/toxicity ; Plant Extracts/isolation & purification/*pharmacology/toxicity

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were alpha-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 mug/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 mug/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 mug/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.
Animals ; Antiprotozoal Agents/isolation & purification/*pharmacology/toxicity ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Cyclohexanols/isolation & purification/pharmacology/toxicity ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Leishmania tropica/*drug effects/physiology ; Macrophages/drug effects ; Mice ; Monoterpenes/isolation & purification/pharmacology/toxicity ; Myrtus/*chemistry ; Oils, Volatile/isolation & purification/*pharmacology/toxicity ; Plant Extracts/isolation & purification/*pharmacology/toxicity