Truppel Jessé Henrique, Otomura Flavio, Teodoro Ueslei, Massafera Rubens, da Costa-Ribeiro Magda Clara Vieira, Catarino Carolina Motter, Dalagrana Luana, Costa Ferreira Maria Eugênia Moreira, Thomaz-Soccol Vanete
Center for Zoonoses Control, Department of Health Surveillance, Municipal Health Department, Araucária, Paraná, Brazil; Post-Graduation Program in Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
Post-Graduation Program in Health Sciences, Maringá State University (UEM), Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
PLoS One. 2014 Apr 10;9(4):e93731. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093731. eCollection 2014.
In this study, we detected Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in equids living in endemic regions of cutaneous leishmaniasis. To determine the role of these animals in the Leishmania cycle, we used two approaches: serological and molecular methods. Antibodies to the parasite were assayed using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Blood samples were collected and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the positive products were sequenced. The results showed that 11.0% (25/227) of the equids were seropositive for Leishmania sp, and 16.3% (37/227) were PCR positive. Antibodies were detected in 20 horses, 3 donkeys, and 2 mules, and the parasite DNA was detected in 30 horses, 5 donkeys, and 2 mules. Sequencing the amplified DNA revealed 100% similarity with sequences for Viannia complex, corroborating the results of PCR for L. braziliensis. Our results show that equids are infected with L. braziliensis, which could be food sources for phlebotomines in the peridomiciliary environment and consequently play a role in the cutaneous leishmaniasis cycle.
在本研究中，我们检测了生活在皮肤利什曼病流行地区的马科动物中的巴西利什曼原虫（维扬尼亚种）感染情况。为确定这些动物在利什曼原虫传播循环中的作用，我们采用了两种方法：血清学方法和分子方法。使用酶联免疫吸附测定法（ELISA）检测针对该寄生虫的抗体。采集血液样本并通过聚合酶链反应（PCR）进行检测，对阳性产物进行测序。结果显示，11.0%（25/227）的马科动物利什曼原虫血清学检测呈阳性，16.3%（37/227）的动物PCR检测呈阳性。在20匹马、3头驴和2头骡子中检测到抗体，在30匹马、5头驴和2头骡子中检测到寄生虫DNA。对扩增的DNA进行测序显示，其与维扬尼复合体的序列具有100%的相似性，证实了巴西利什曼原虫PCR检测结果。我们的结果表明，马科动物感染了巴西利什曼原虫，它们可能是家周环境中白蛉的食物来源，因此在皮肤利什曼病传播循环中发挥作用。
