Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted ascending) Filter |
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| novel and viable acetylcholinesterase target site for developing effective and environmentally safe insecticides. | insect pests are responsible for human suffering and financial losses worldwide. new and environmentally safe insecticides are urgently needed to cope with these serious problems. resistance to current insecticides has resulted in a resurgence of insect pests, and growing concerns about insecticide toxicity to humans discourage the use of insecticides for pest control. the small market for insecticides has hampered insecticide development; however, advances in genomics and structural genomics of ... | 0 | 22280344 |
| pharmacology and functions of receptors for vasoactive intestinal peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide: iuphar review 1. | vasoactive intestinal peptide (vip) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (pacap) are members of a superfamily of structurally related peptide hormones that includes glucagon, glucagon-like peptides, secretin, gastric inhibitory peptide (gip) and growth hormone-releasing hormone (ghrh). vip and pacap exert their actions through three gpcrs - pac(1) , vpac(1) and vpac(2) - belonging to class b (also referred to as class ii, or secretin receptor-like gpcrs). this family comprises ... | 0 | 22289055 |
| leishmania infantum and human visceral leishmaniasis, argentina. | 0 | 22305425 | |
| ecological aspects of phlebotomines (diptera: psychodidae) in endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis, campo grande, state of mato grosso do sul, brazil. | aspects of phlebotomine behavior were investigated in the city of campo grande, mato grosso do sul state. the insects were captured weekly during december 2003 to november 2005, with centers for disease control light traps at seven different sites including forests and residential areas. in total, 11,024 specimens (7,805 males and 3,219 females) were collected, from which 9,963 (90.38%) were identified as lutzomyia longipalpis, the proven vector of american visceral leishmaniasis agent. the rema ... | 2012 | 22308770 |
| the development of psychodiella sergenti (apicomplexa: eugregarinorida) in phlebotomus sergenti (diptera: psychodidae). | psychodiella sergenti is a recently described specific pathogen of the sand fly phlebotomus sergenti, the main vector of leishmania tropica. the aim of this study was to examine the life cycle of ps. sergenti in various developmental stages of the sand fly host. the microscopical methods used include scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy of native preparations and histological sections stained with periodic acid-schiff reaction. psychodiella sergenti ... | 2012 | 22313575 |
| distribution and abundance of phlebotominae, vectors of leishmaniasis, in argentina: spatial and temporal analysis at different scales. | the spatial-temporal analysis of the abundance of insects, vectors of tegumentary leishmaniasis (tl) and visceral leishmaniasis (vl), was performed in argentina using spatial-temporal increasing scales. in the microscale (microfocal), the effect of the primary vegetation-crop interface in vector abundance was observed, and also how the shelters, food sources, and other environmental characteristics contribute to habitat microheterogeneity and so to a microheterogeneous vector distribution. in th ... | 2012 | 22315620 |
| studies on the feeding habits of lutzomyia (lutzomyia) longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) populations from endemic areas of american visceral leishmaniasis in northeastern brazil. | the aim of this study was to identify potential blood feeding sources of l. (l.) longipalpis specimens from populations in northeastern brazil, endemic areas of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) and its correlation with the transmission of l. (l.) i. chagasi. the elisa technique was applied using bird, dog, goat, opossum, equine, feline, human, sheep, and rodent antisera to analyze 609 females, resulting in an overall positivity of 60%. in all municipalities, females showed higher positivity ... | 2012 | 22315621 |
| multilocus microsatellite typing (mlmt) of strains from turkey and cyprus reveals a novel monophyletic l. donovani sensu lato group. | new foci of human cl caused by strains of the leishmania donovani (l. donovani) complex have been recently described in cyprus and the çukurova region in turkey (l. infantum) situated 150 km north of cyprus. cypriot strains were typed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (mlee) using the montpellier (mon) system as l. donovani zymodeme mon-37. however, multilocus microsatellite typing (mlmt) has shown that this zymodeme is paraphyletic; composed of distantly related genetic subgroups of differen ... | 2012 | 22348162 |
| identification and characterization of a novel calcium-activated apyrase from cryptosporidium parasites and its potential role in pathogenesis. | herein, we report the biochemical and functional characterization of a novel ca(2+)-activated nucleoside diphosphatase (apyrase), capy, of the intracellular gut pathogen cryptosporidium. the purified recombinant capy protein displayed activity, substrate specificity and calcium dependency strikingly similar to the previously described human apyrase, scan-1 (soluble calcium-activated nucleotidase 1). capy was found to be expressed in both cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and sporozoites, and displa ... | 2012 | 22363541 |
| the protein ljm 111 from lutzomyia longipalpis salivary gland extract (sge) accounts for the sge-inhibitory effects upon inflammatory parameters in experimental arthritis model. | several studies have pointed out the immunomodulatory properties of the salivary gland extract (sge) from lutzomyia longipalpis. we aimed to identify the sge component (s) responsible for its effect on ovalbumin (ova)-induced neutrophil migration (nm) and to evaluate the effect of sge and components in the antigen-induced arthritis (aia) model. we tested the anti-arthritic activities of sge and the recombinant ljm111 salivary protein (rljm111) by measuring the mechanical hypernociception and the ... | 2012 | 22366405 |
| lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) in the region of saquarema: potential area of visceral leishmaniasis transmission in the state of rio de janeiro, brazil. | lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of leishmania infantum chagasi in the americas. | 2012 | 22370841 |
| caspar-like gene depletion reduces leishmania infection in sand fly host lutzomyia longipalpis. | female phlebotomine sand flies lutzomyia longipalpis naturally harbor populations of the medically important leishmania infantum (syn. leishmania chagasi) parasite in the gut, but the extent to which the parasite interacts with the immune system of the insect vector is unknown. to investigate the sand fly immune response and its interaction with the leishmania parasite, we identified a homologue for caspar, a negative regulator of immune deficiency signaling pathway. we found that feeding antibi ... | 2012 | 22375009 |
| three drosophila hox complex micrornas do not have major effects on expression of evolutionarily conserved hox gene targets during embryogenesis. | the discovery of micrornas has resulted in a major expansion of the number of molecules known to be involved in gene regulation. elucidating the functions of animal micrornas has posed a significant challenge as their target interactions with messenger rnas do not adhere to simple rules. of the thousands of known animal micrornas, relatively few microrna:messenger rna regulatory interactions have been biologically validated in an normal organismal context. here we present evidence that three mic ... | 2012 | 22393361 |
| insecticide resistance in the sand fly, phlebotomus papatasi from khartoum state, sudan. | phlebotomus papatasi the vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis (cl) is the most widely spread sand fly in sudan. no data has previously been collected on insecticide susceptibility and/or resistance of this vector, and a first study to establish a baseline data is reported here. | 2012 | 22397726 |
| efficacy of combined therapy with liposome-encapsulated meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol in treatment of canine visceral leishmaniasis. | an innovative liposomal formulation of meglumine antimoniate (lma) was recently reported to promote both long-term parasite suppression and reduction of infectivity to sand flies in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis. however, 5 months after treatment, parasites were still found in the bone marrow of all treated dogs. in order to improve treatment with lma, the present study aimed to evaluate its efficacy in combination with allopurinol. mongrel dogs naturally infected with leishmania infantum wer ... | 2012 | 22411610 |
| the distribution pattern of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) in the peridomiciles of a sector with canine and human visceral leishmaniasis transmission in the municipality of dracena, são paulo, brazil. | the specimen distribution pattern of a species can be used to characterise a population of interest and also provides area-specific guidance for pest management and control. in the municipality of dracena, in the state of são paulo, we analysed 5,889 lutzomyia longipalpis specimens collected from the peridomiciles of 14 houses in a sector where american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) is transmitted to humans and dogs. the goal was to analyse the dispersion and a theoretical fitting of the species ... | 2012 | 22415253 |
| insecticide susceptibility status of phlebotomus (paraphlebotomus) sergenti and phlebotomus (phlebotomus) papatasi in endemic foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis in morocco. | in morocco, cutaneous leishmaniasis is transmitted by phlebotomus sergenti and ph. papatasi. vector control is mainly based on environmental management but indoor residual spraying with synthetic pyrethroids is applied in many foci of leishmania tropica. however, the levels and distribution of sandfly susceptibility to insecticides currently used has not been studied yet. hence, this study was undertaken to establish the susceptibility status of ph. sergenti and ph. papatasi to lambdacyhalothrin ... | 2012 | 22429776 |
| maxadilan prevents apoptosis in ips cells and shows no effects on the pluripotent state or karyotype. | pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (pacap) is a structurally endogenous peptide with many biological roles. maxadilan, a 61-amino acid vasodilatory peptide, specifically activates the pacap type i receptor (pac1). although pac1 has been identified in embryonic stem cells, little is known about its presence or effects in human induced pluripotent stem (ips) cells. in the present study, we investigated the expression of pac1 in human ips cells by reverse transcriptase polymerase ch ... | 2012 | 22457805 |
| development of leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi in its natural sandfly vector lutzomyia longipalpis. | we analyzed the development of leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi in its natural sandfly vector lutzomyia longipalpis. in addition, we compared sandfly infections initiated with axenic amastigotes or promastigotes. our data showed no important difference between lu. longipalpis infection rates resulting from either type of infections. furthermore, development of infection was equivalent in both cases. all promastigote forms were found inside the sandfly and, after blood digestion, most of ... | 0 | 22492144 |
| the transcriptome of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) male reproductive organs. | it has been suggested that genes involved in the reproductive biology of insect disease vectors are potential targets for future alternative methods of control. little is known about the molecular biology of reproduction in phlebotomine sand flies and there is no information available concerning genes that are expressed in male reproductive organs of lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of american visceral leishmaniasis and a species complex. | 2012 | 22496818 |
| new insights on the inflammatory role of lutzomyia longipalpis saliva in leishmaniasis. | when an haematophagous sand fly vector insect bites a vertebrate host, it introduces its mouthparts into the skin and lacerates blood vessels, forming a hemorrhagic pool which constitutes an intricate environment of cell interactions. in this scenario, the initial performance of host, parasite, and vector "authors" will heavily influence the course of leishmania infection. recent advances in vector-parasite-host interaction have elucidated "co-authors" and "new roles" not yet described. we revie ... | 2012 | 22506098 |
| biotic factors and occurrence of lutzomyia longipalpis in endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis, mato grosso do sul, brazil. | the relationships between environmental exposure to risk agents and health conditions have been studied with the aid of remote sensing imagery, a tool particularly useful in the study of vegetation cover. this study aims to evaluate the influence of environmental variables on the spatial distribution of the abundance of lutzomyia longipalpis and the reported canine and human visceral leishmaniasis (vl) cases at an urban area of campo grande, state of mato grosso do sul. the sandfly captures were ... | 2012 | 22510836 |
| information system and geographic information system tools in the data analyses of the control program for visceral leishmaniases from 2006 to 2010 in the sanitary district of venda nova, belo horizonte, minas gerais, brazil. | the aim of this paper is to report a brief history of control actions for visceral leishmaniasis (vl) from 2006 to 2010 in the sanitary district (ds) of venda nova, belo horizonte, minas gerais, brazil, focusing on the use of information systems and geographic information system (gis) tools. the analyses showed that the use of an automated database allied with geoprocessing tools may favor control measures of vl, especially with regard to the evaluation of control actions carried out. descriptiv ... | 2012 | 22518168 |
| leishmanicidal activity in vitro of musa paradisiaca l. and spondias mombin l. fractions. | visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a zoonotic disease characterized by infection of mononuclear phagocytes by leishmania chagasi. the primary vector is lutzomyia longipalpis and the dog is the main domestic reservoir. the control and current treatment of dogs using synthetic drugs have not shown effectiveness in reducing the incidence of disease in man. in attempt to find new compounds with leishmanicidal action, plant secondary metabolites have been studied in search of treatments of vl. this study ... | 2011 | 22521971 |
| sand fly vectors (diptera, psychodidae) of american visceral leishmaniasis areas in the atlantic forest, state of espírito santo, southeastern brazil. | the aim of this study was to evaluate the sand fly fauna of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) endemic areas within the central atlantic forest biodiversity corridor, state of espírito santo, southeastern brazil. the sand fly captures were performed between january, 1989 and december, 2003 in localities where autochthonous cases of avl were recorded, as well as in their boundary areas. sand flies were collected from surrounding houses and domestic animal shelters using two to five cdc automat ... | 2012 | 22548541 |
| cellular function and molecular structure of ecto-nucleotidases. | ecto-nucleotidases play a pivotal role in purinergic signal transmission. they hydrolyze extracellular nucleotides and thus can control their availability at purinergic p2 receptors. they generate extracellular nucleosides for cellular reuptake and salvage via nucleoside transporters of the plasma membrane. the extracellular adenosine formed acts as an agonist of purinergic p1 receptors. they also can produce and hydrolyze extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate that is of major relevance in the c ... | 2012 | 22555564 |
| an assessment of the genetic diversity of leishmania infantum isolates from infected dogs in brazil. | correlations between the genetic diversity of leishmania infantum (syn. l. chagasi) isolates and their respective geographic origins support the theoretic assumption that visceral leishmaniasis probably originated in the old world. because dogs are widely considered to be the main reservoir of this disease, the present study aimed to investigate the degree of genetic divergence among 44 leishmanial canine isolates from two brazilian cities, jequié and campo grande, located approximately 2,028 km ... | 0 | 22556077 |
| an epidemic outbreak of canine cutaneous leishmaniasis in colombia caused by leishmania braziliensis and leishmania panamensis. | the largest recorded outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in colombia's history occurred during 2005-2009 in soldiers of the colombian army, with ~40,000 cases. this outbreak was caused by the influx of military personnel into the jungle with the mission of combat illicit crops and the guerrilla. the soldiers remain for long periods within the rainforest and are exposed to the bite of infected sand flies. during the military activities, soldiers work with dogs specially trained to detect landmine ... | 0 | 22556078 |
| vaccines for canine leishmaniasis. | leishmaniasis is the third most important vector-borne disease worldwide. visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a severe and frequently lethal protozoan disease of increasing incidence and severity due to infected human and dog migration, new geographical distribution of the insect due to global warming, coinfection with immunosuppressive diseases, and poverty. the disease is an anthroponosis in india and central africa and a canid zoonosis (zvl) in the americas, the middle east, central asia, china, a ... | 2012 | 22566950 |
| role of leukotrienes on protozoan and helminth infections. | leukotrienes (lts), formed by the 5-lipoxygenase-(5-lo-) catalyzed oxidation of arachidonic acid, are lipid mediators that have potent proinflammatory activities. pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of 5-lo biosynthesis in animals is associated with increased mortality and impaired clearance of bacteria, fungi, and parasites. lts play a role in the control of helminth and protozoan infections by modulating the immune system and/or through direct cytotoxicity to parasites; however, lts may also b ... | 2012 | 22577251 |
| the immune response to sand fly salivary proteins and its influence on leishmania immunity. | leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease transmitted by bites of phlebotomine sand flies. during leishmania transmission, sand fly saliva is co-inoculated with parasites into the skin of the mammalian host. sand fly saliva consists of roughly thirty different salivary proteins, many with known roles linked to blood feeding facilitation. apart from the anti-hemostatic capacity of saliva, several sand fly salivary proteins have been shown to be immunogenic. immunization with a single salivary prote ... | 2012 | 22593758 |
| the genetic structure of leishmania infantum populations in brazil and its possible association with the transmission cycle of visceral leishmaniasis. | leishmania infantum is the etiologic agent of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in the americas, mediterranean basin and west and central asia. although the geographic structure of l. infantum populations from the old world have been described, few studies have addressed the population structure of this parasite in the neotropical region. we employed 14 microsatellites to analyze the population structure of the l. infantum strains isolated from humans and dogs from most of the brazilian states endemic ... | 2012 | 22606248 |
| immunity to protozoan parasites. | 2012 | 22619699 | |
| salivary gland transcriptomes and proteomes of phlebotomus tobbi and phlebotomus sergenti, vectors of leishmaniasis. | phlebotomus tobbi is a vector of leishmania infantum, and p. sergenti is a vector of leishmania tropica. le. infantum and le. tropica typically cause visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis, respectively, but le. infantum strains transmitted by p. tobbi can cause cutaneous disease. to better understand the components and possible implications of sand fly saliva in leishmaniasis, the transcriptomes of the salivary glands (sgs) of these two sand fly species were sequenced, characterized and compared. | 2012 | 22629480 |
| reactive oxygen species-mediated immunity against leishmania mexicana and serratia marcescens in the sand phlebotomine fly lutzomyia longipalpis. | phlebotomine sand flies are the vectors of medically important leishmania. the leishmania protozoa reside in the sand fly gut, but the nature of the immune response to the presence of leishmania is unknown. reactive oxygen species (ros) are a major component of insect innate immune pathways regulating gut-microbe homeostasis. here we show that the concentration of ros increased in sand fly midguts after they fed on the insect pathogen serratia marcescens but not after feeding on the leishmania t ... | 2012 | 22645126 |
| biomarkers for exposure to sand flies bites as tools to aid control of leishmaniasis. | intense research efforts so far have not been sufficient to reduce leishmaniasis burden worldwide. this disease is transmitted by bites of infected sand flies, which inject saliva in the host skin in an attempt to obtain a blood meal. sand fly saliva has an array of proteins with diverse pharmacological properties that modulates the host homeostatic and immune responses. some of these proteins are also immunogenic and can induce both cellular and humoral immune responses. recently, the use of sa ... | 2012 | 22661974 |
| lutzomyia umbratilis, the main vector of leishmania guyanensis, represents a novel species complex? | lutzomyia umbratilis is an important leishmania guyanensis vector in south america. previous studies have suggested differences in the vector competence between l. umbratilis populations situated on opposite banks of the amazonas and negro rivers in the central amazonian brazil region, likely indicating a species complex. however, few studies have been performed on these populations and the taxonomic status of l. umbratilis remains unclear. | 2012 | 22662146 |
| the effect of removing potentially infectious dogs on the numbers of canine leishmania infantum infections in an endemic area with high transmission rates. | to assess the effect of the rapid removal of potentially infectious dogs on the prevalence and incidence of canine infections, a prospective study was undertaken in an area endemic for leishmania infantum. we used serological testing based on the rapid dpp rk28 fusion protein chromatographic immunoassay for this dog screening-and-culling intervention trial. the outcome was evaluated by measuring seropositivity and sero-conversion/-reversion rates for canine infection. our estimates indicated tha ... | 0 | 22665602 |
| disruption of the peritrophic matrix by exogenous chitinase feeding reduces fecundity in lutzomyia longipalpis females. | lutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil. when female sandflies feed on blood, a peritrophic matrix (pm) is formed around the blood bolus. the pm is secreted by midgut cells and composed of proteins, glycoproteins and chitin microfibrils. the pm functions as both a physical barrier against pathogens present in the food bolus and blood meal digestion regulator. previous studies of mosquitoes and sandflies have shown that the absence of a pm, resulting ... | 2012 | 22666867 |
| natural infection of didelphis aurita (mammalia: marsupialia) with leishmania infantum in brazil. | the opossum didelphis have been considered as natural hosts of leishmania parasites in the new world, suggesting an important role in the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis (vl). among six extant species that belong to the genus didelphis, only two (d. marsupialis and d. albiventris), have been mentioned as natural hosts of leishmania infantum in brazil and colombia. in the present paper, it is reported for the first time, the observation of intracellular parasites (amastigotes) in tissues o ... | 2012 | 22676324 |
| relationship between digestive enzymes and food habit of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) larvae: characterization of carbohydrases and digestion of microorganisms. | the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz and neiva, 1912) is the main vector of american visceral leishmaniasis. in spite of its medical importance and several studies concerning adult digestive physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, very few studies have been carried out to elucidate the digestion in sandfly larvae. even the breeding sites and food sources of these animals in the field are largely uncharacterized. in this paper, we describe and characterize several carbohydrases from th ... | 2012 | 22684112 |
| leishmaniasis and climate change-case study: argentina. | vector-borne diseases closely associated with the environment, such as leishmaniases, have been a usual argument about the deleterious impact of climate change on public health. from the biological point of view interaction of different variables has different and even conflicting effects on the survival of vectors and the probability transmission of pathogens. the results on ecoepidemiology of leishmaniasis in argentina related to climate variables at different scales of space and time are pres ... | 2012 | 22685477 |
| immunity to sand fly salivary protein ljm11 modulates host response to vector-transmitted leishmania conferring ulcer-free protection. | leishmania vaccines that protect against needle challenge fail against the potency of a leishmania-infected sand fly transmission. here, we demonstrate that intradermal immunization of mice with 500 ng of the sand fly salivary recombinant protein ljm11 (rljm11) from lutzomyia longipalpis, in the absence of adjuvant, induces long-lasting immunity that results in ulcer-free protection against leishmania major delivered by vector bites. this protection is antibody independent and abrogated by deple ... | 2012 | 22739793 |
| the role of leishmania proteophosphoglycans in sand fly transmission and infection of the mammalian host. | leishmania are transmitted by the bite of their sand fly vector and this has a significant influence on the virulence of the resulting infection. from our studies into the interaction between parasite, vector, and host we have uncovered an important missing ingredient during leishmania transmission. leishmania actively adapt their sand fly hosts into efficient vectors by secreting promastigote secretory gel (psg), a proteophosphoglycan (ppg)-rich, mucin-like gel which accumulates in sand fly gut ... | 2012 | 22754550 |
| analysis of sandflies (diptera: psychodidae) in barra do garças, state of mato grosso, brazil, and the influence of environmental variables on the vector density of lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912). | leishmaniasis is an infectious and parasitic zoonotic, non-contagious, vector-borne disease caused by protozoa of the genus leishmania. in brazil, the major vector of leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi (cunha & chagas, 1934) is lutzomyia longipalpis. barra do garças, state of mato grosso, was designated as a priority area by the brazilian ministry of health for american visceral leishmaniasis, and it is important to identify the vector species present in this municipality. our objective wa ... | 2012 | 22760128 |
| sandfly fauna in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in aracaju, state of sergipe, northeast brazil. | in recent years, visceral leishmaniasis, a major public health problem, has been spreading from the rural to urban areas in many areas of brazil, including aracaju, the capital of the state of sergipe. however, there are no studies of the sandfly fauna in this municipality or its variation over the year. | 2012 | 22760129 |
| lufaxin, a novel factor xa inhibitor from the salivary gland of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis blocks protease-activated receptor 2 activation and inhibits inflammation and thrombosis in vivo. | blood-sucking arthropods' salivary glands contain a remarkable diversity of antihemostatics. the aim of the present study was to identify the unique salivary anticoagulant of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis, which remained elusive for decades. | 2012 | 22796577 |
| cutting edge: brazilian pemphigus foliaceus anti-desmoglein 1 autoantibodies cross-react with sand fly salivary ljm11 antigen. | the environmental factors that contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases are largely unknown. endemic pemphigus foliaceus in humans, known as fogo selvagem (fs) in brazil, is mediated by pathogenic igg4 autoantibodies against desmoglein 1 (dsg1). clusters of fs overlap with those of leishmaniasis, a disease transmitted by sand fly (lutzomyia longipalpis) bites. in this study, we show that salivary ags from the sand fly, and specifically the ljm11 salivary protein, are recognized by fs ... | 2012 | 22798673 |
| leishmania chagasi in opossums (didelphis albiventris) in an urban area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis, campo grande, mato grosso do sul, brazil. | we investigated the occurrence of leishmania infantum chagasi in didelphis albiventris opossums at a wild animal rehabilitation center in the city of campo grande, brazil. a total of 54 opossums were tested for l. i. chagasi infection in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples. the samples were analyzed by direct examination, culturing in a specific medium, and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. leishmania i. chagasi dna was detected by polymerase chain reaction ... | 2012 | 22802435 |
| kinetics of antibody response in balb/c and c57bl/6 mice bitten by phlebotomus papatasi. | phlebotomine sand flies are blood-sucking insects transmitting leishmania parasites. in bitten hosts, sand fly saliva elicits specific immune response and the humoral immunity was shown to reflect the intensity of sand fly exposure. thus, anti-saliva antibodies were suggested as the potential risk marker of leishmania transmission. in this study, we examined the long-term kinetics and persistence of anti-phlebotomus papatasi saliva antibody response in balb/c and c57bl/6 mice. we also tested the ... | 2012 | 22802977 |
| participation of heparin binding proteins from the surface of leishmania (viannia) braziliensis promastigotes in the adhesion of parasites to lutzomyia longipalpis cells (lulo) in vitro. | leishmania (v.) braziliensis is a causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in brazil. during the parasite life cycle, the promastigotes adhere to the gut of sandflies, to avoid being eliminated with the dejection. the lulo cell line, derived from lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae), is a suitable in vitro study model to understand the features of parasite adhesion. here, we analyze the role of glycosaminoglycans (gags) from lulo cells and proteins from the parasites in this event. | 2012 | 22805335 |
| utility of filter paper for preserving insects, bacteria, and host reservoir dna for molecular testing. | appropriate methodology for storage biological materials, extraction of dna, and proper dna preservation is vital for studies involving genetic analysis of insects, bacteria, and reservoir hosts as well as for molecular diagnostics of pathogens carried by vectors and reservoirs. here we tried to evaluate the utility of a simple filter paper-based for storage of insects, bacteria, rodent, and human dnas using pcr assays. | 2011 | 22808417 |
| significance of bacteria in oviposition and larval development of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis. | microbial ecology of phlebotomine sand flies is not well understood although bacteria likely play an important role in the sand fly biology and vector capacity for leishmania parasites. in this study, we assessed the significance of the microbial community of rabbit feces in oviposition and larval development of lutzomyia longipalpis as well as bacterial colonization of the gut of freshly emerged flies. | 2012 | 22827861 |
| phlebotomine sandflies fauna (diptera: psychodidae) at rural settlements in the municipality of cáceres, state of mato grosso, brazil. | leishmaniasis is expanding across brazil, including the state of mato grosso (mt). the aim of this study was to characterize the phlebotomine sandfly fauna at threerural settlements located in the municipality of cáceres, mt, from august 2010 to july 2011. | 2012 | 22836661 |
| carbohydrate digestion in lutzomyia longipalpis' larvae (diptera - psychodidae). | lutzomyia longipalpis is the principal species of phlebotomine incriminated as vector of leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis in the americas. despite its importance as vector, almost nothing related to the larval biology, especially about its digestive system has been published. the objective of the present study was to obtain an overview of carbohydrate digestion by the larvae. taking in account that phlebotomine larvae live in the soil rich in decaying material ... | 2012 | 22841889 |
| investigation of the bacterial communities associated with females of lutzomyia sand fly species from south america. | phlebotomine sand flies are vectors of leishmania that are acquired by the female sand fly during blood feeding on an infected mammal. leishmania parasites develop exclusively in the gut lumen during their residence in the insect before transmission to a suitable host during the next blood feed. female phlebotomine sand flies are blood feeding insects but their life style of visiting plants as well as animals, and the propensity for larvae to feed on detritus including animal faeces means that t ... | 2012 | 22880020 |
| proteolytic profiling and comparative analyses of active trypsin-like serine peptidases in preimaginal stages of culex quinquefasciatus. | the mosquito culex quinquefasciatu s, a widespread insect in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, is a vector of multiple arboviruses and parasites, and is considered an important risk to human and veterinary health. proteolytic enzymes play crucial roles in the insect physiology including the modulation of embryonic development and food digestion. therefore, these enzymes represent important targets for the development of new control strategies. this study presents zymographic charac ... | 2012 | 22892097 |
| kdna genetic signatures obtained by lssp-pcr analysis of leishmania (leishmania) infantum isolated from the new and the old world. | visceral leishmaniasis (vl) caused by species from the leishmania donovani complex is the most severe form of the disease, lethal if untreated. vl caused by leishmania infantum is a zoonosis with an increasing number of human cases and millions of dogs infected in the old and the new world. in this study, l. infantum (syn. l.chagasi) strains were isolated from human and canine vl cases. the strains were obtained from endemic areas from brazil and portugal and their genetic polymorphism was ascer ... | 2012 | 22912862 |
| the influence of early neutrophil-leishmania interactions on the host immune response to infection. | neutrophils are the first cells recruited to the dermal site of leishmania infection following injection by needle or sand fly bite. the role of neutrophils in either promoting or suppressing host immunity remains controversial. we discuss the events driving neutrophil recruitment, their interaction with the parasite and apoptotic fate, and the nature of their encounters with other innate cells. we suggest that the influence of the neutrophil response on infection outcome critically depends on t ... | 2012 | 22919650 |
| leishmania spp. epidemiology of canine leishmaniasis in the yucatan peninsula. | canine leishmaniasis is widespread in various mexican states, where different species of leishmania have been isolated from dogs. in the present study, we describe the detection of l. braziliensis, l. infantum, and l. mexicana in serum of dogs from the states of yucatan and quintana roo in the yucatan peninsula (mexico). a total of 412 sera were analyzed by elisa using the total extract of the parasite and the iron superoxide dismutase excreted by different trypanosomatids as antigens. we found ... | 2012 | 22927792 |
| courtship behaviour of phlebotomus papatasi the sand fly vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis. | the sand fly phlebotomus papatasi is an old world vector of leishmania major, the etiologic agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. this study describes the courtship behaviour of p. papatasi and compares it with that of lutzomyia longipalpis, the new world vector of visceral leishmaniasis. understanding the details of courtship behaviour in p. papatasi may help us to understand the role of sex pheromones in this important vector. | 2012 | 22935092 |
| fixed differences in the paralytic gene define two lineages within the lutzomyia longipalpis complex producing different types of courtship songs. | the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae), the most important vector of american visceral leishmaniasis, is widely distributed in latin america. there is currently a consensus that it represents a species complex, however, the number and distribution of the different siblings is still uncertain. previous analyses have indicated that brazilian populations of this vector can be divided into two main groups according to the type of courtship song (burst vs. pulse) mal ... | 2012 | 22970200 |
| preventing zoonotic canine leishmaniasis in northeastern brazil: pet attachment and adoption of community leishmania prevention. | visceral leishmaniasis (vl), caused by leishmania infantum chagasi (l.i. chagasi syn. infantum) in northeastern brazil, was responsible for 51,000 new vl cases from 1980 to 2003. household presence of l. infantum-infected dogs is a major risk factor for human infection. despite culling of dogs based on seropositivity, canine l. infantum seroprevalence remains near 20%, suggesting that dog culling is ineffective for preventing vl spread. we administered a cross-sectional survey to 224 households ... | 2012 | 22987654 |
| lutzomyia longipalpis abundance in the city of posadas, northeastern argentina: variations at different spatial scales. | the distribution of lutzomyia longipalpis is heterogeneous with a pattern of high abundance areas (haas) embedded in a matrix of low abundance areas (laas). the objective of this study was to describe the variability in the abundance of lu. longipalpis at two different spatial levels and to analyse the relationship between the abundance and multiple environmental variables. of the environmental variables analysed in each household, the condition that best explained the differences in vector abun ... | 2012 | 22990967 |
| delayed-type hypersensitivity to sand fly saliva in humans from a leishmaniasis-endemic area of mali is th1-mediated and persists to midlife. | immunity to sand fly saliva in rodents induces a t(h)1 delayed-type hypersensitivity (dth) response conferring protection against leishmaniasis. the relevance of dth to sand fly bites in humans living in a leishmaniasis-endemic area remains unknown. here, we describe the duration and nature of dth to sand fly saliva in humans from an endemic area of mali. dth was assessed at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post bite in volunteers exposed to colony-bred sand flies. dermal biopsies were obtained 48 hours ... | 2012 | 22992802 |
| analysis of salivary gland transcripts of the sand fly lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of andean-type cutaneous leishmaniasis. | the saliva of blood sucking insects contains potent pharmacologically active components that assist them in counteracting the host hemostatic and inflammatory systems during blood feeding. in addition, sand fly salivary proteins affect host immunity and have the potential to be a vaccine against leishmania infection. in the present study, the salivary gland transcripts of lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in ecuadorian and peruvian andes, were analyzed by sequencing ran ... | 2012 | 23000112 |
| attraction of the cutaneous leishmaniasis vector nyssomyia neivai (diptera: psychodidae) to host odour components in a wind tunnel. | laboratory studies of host-seeking olfactory behaviour in sandflies have largely been restricted to the american visceral leishmaniasis vector lutzomyia longipalpis. in comparison, almost nothing is known about the chemical ecology of related species, which transmit american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl), due in part to difficulties in raising these insects in the laboratory. understanding how acl vectors locate their hosts will be essential to developing new vector control strategies to combat ... | 2012 | 23009099 |
| leishmania metacyclogenesis is promoted in the absence of purines. | leishmania parasites, the causative agent of leishmaniasis, are transmitted through the bite of an infected sand fly. leishmania parasites present two basic forms known as promastigote and amastigote which, respectively, parasitizes the vector and the mammalian hosts. infection of the vertebrate host is dependent on the development, in the vector, of metacyclic promastigotes, however, little is known about the factors that trigger metacyclogenesis in leishmania parasites. it has been generally s ... | 2012 | 23050028 |
| transcriptional profiles of mating-responsive genes from testes and male accessory glands of the mediterranean fruit fly, ceratitis capitata. | insect seminal fluid is a complex mixture of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, produced in the male reproductive tract. this seminal fluid is transferred together with the spermatozoa during mating and induces post-mating changes in the female. molecular characterization of seminal fluid proteins in the mediterranean fruit fly, ceratitis capitata, is limited, although studies suggest that some of these proteins are biologically active. | 2012 | 23071645 |
| peridomiciliary breeding sites of phlebotomine sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) in an endemic area of american cutaneous leishmaniasis in southeastern brazil. | the occurrence of american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl) in areas modified by humans indicates that phlebotomine sand fly vectors breed close to human habitations. potential peridomiciliary breeding sites of phlebotomines were sampled in an area of transmission of leishmania (viannia) braziliensis in southeastern brazil. three concentric circles rounding houses and domestic animal shelters, with radii of 20, 40, and 60 m, defined the area to be monitored using adult emergence traps. of the 67 ph ... | 2012 | 23091196 |
| tsetse salivary gland proteins 1 and 2 are high affinity nucleic acid binding proteins with residual nuclease activity. | analysis of the tsetse fly salivary gland est database revealed the presence of a highly enriched cluster of putative endonuclease genes, including tsal1 and tsal2. tsal proteins are the major components of tsetse fly (g. morsitans morsitans) saliva where they are present as monomers as well as high molecular weight complexes with other saliva proteins. we demonstrate that the recombinant tsetse salivary gland proteins 1&2 (tsal1&2) display dna/rna non-specific, high affinity nucleic acid bindin ... | 2012 | 23110062 |
| parasite burden in hamsters infected with two different strains of leishmania (leishmania) infantum: "leishman donovan units" versus real-time pcr. | to develop and test new therapeutics and immune prophylaxis strategies for visceral leishmaniasis (vl), understanding tissue parasitism evolution after experimental infection with leishmania infantum is important. experimental infection in a hamster model (mesocricetus auratus) reproduces several typical aspects of canine and human vl that are closely related to the inoculum's route. we quantified the parasitism in the liver and spleen of hamsters experimentally infected by various routes (intra ... | 2012 | 23112869 |
| updating the salivary gland transcriptome of phlebotomus papatasi (tunisian strain): the search for sand fly-secreted immunogenic proteins for humans. | sand fly saliva plays an important role in both blood feeding and outcome of leishmania infection. a cellular immune response against a phlebotomus papatasi salivary protein was shown to protect rodents against leishmania major infection. in humans, p. papatasi salivary proteins induce a systemic cellular immune response as well as a specific antisaliva humoral immune response, making these salivary proteins attractive targets as markers of exposure for this leishmania vector. surprisingly, the ... | 2012 | 23139741 |
| species diversity of sandflies (diptera: psychodidae) during different seasons and in different environments in the district of taquaruçú, state of tocantins, brazil. | phlebotomine sandflies are the vectors for the protozoan parasites that cause leishmaniasis. the present study investigated the species composition of sandfly fauna in the rural district of taquaruçú, municipality of palmas, state of tocantins, brazil and compared the diversity of species among intradomicile, peridomicile and forest environments during the dry and rainy seasons. sandflies were collected using cdc light traps over the course of three months during the dry and rainy seasons. a tot ... | 2012 | 23147157 |
| profile and geographic distribution of reported cases of visceral leishmaniasis in campo grande, state of mato grosso do sul, brazil, from 2002 to 2009. | this study sought to describe the profile and geographic distribution of reported cases of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in the city of campo grande, state of mato grosso do sul (ms), brazil, from 2002 to 2009. | 2012 | 23152344 |
| the first record of lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) in the state of paraná, brazil. | we report the first find of lutzomyia longipalpis in the state of paraná, brazil. | 2012 | 23152351 |
| study of sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) in visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis areas in the central-western state of minas gerais, brazil. | the transmission of leishmania involves several species of sand flies that are closely associated with various parasites and reservoirs, with differing transmission cycles in brazil. a study on the phlebotomine species composition has been conducted in the municipality of divinópolis, minas gerais, brazil, an endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis (cl), which has intense occurrence of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) cases. in order to study the sand flies populations and their seasonality, cdc lig ... | 2013 | 23178219 |
| performance of lbsap vaccine after intradermal challenge with l. infantum and saliva of lu. longipalpis: immunogenicity and parasitological evaluation. | in the last decade, the search for new vaccines against canine visceral leishmaniasis has intensified. however, the pattern related to immune protection during long periods after experimental infection in vaccine trials is still not fully understood. herein, we investigated the immunogenicity and parasitological levels after intradermal challenge with leishmania infantum plus salivary gland extract in dogs immunized with a vaccine composed of l. braziliensis antigens plus saponin as an adjuvant ... | 2012 | 23189161 |
| leishmania development in sand flies: parasite-vector interactions overview. | leishmaniases are vector-borne parasitic diseases with 0.9 - 1.4 million new human cases each year worldwide. in the vectorial part of the life-cycle, leishmania development is confined to the digestive tract. during the first few days after blood feeding, natural barriers to leishmania development include secreted proteolytic enzymes, the peritrophic matrix surrounding the ingested blood meal and sand fly immune reactions. as the blood digestion proceeds, parasites need to bind to the midgut ep ... | 2012 | 23206339 |
| diversity of the bacterial and fungal microflora from the midgut and cuticle of phlebotomine sand flies collected in north-western iran. | phlebotomine sand flies are the vectors of the leishmaniases, parasitic diseases caused by leishmania spp. little is known about the prevalence and diversity of sand fly microflora colonizing the midgut or the cuticle. particularly, there is little information on the fungal diversity. this information is important for development of vector control strategies. | 2012 | 23226255 |
| hourly activity and natural infection of sandflies (diptera: psychodidae) captured from the aphotic zone of a cave, minas gerais state, brazil. | sandflies are holometabolous insects that are of great epidemiological importance in the neotropical region as vectors of leishmaniases. caves are ecotopes that significantly differ from external environments and, among the insects that live or visit their internal area and adjacent environment, sandflies are commonly found. based on this context, the objective of this work was to examine the period of activity of sandflies in the cave environment in the aphotic zone. thus, four sandfly captures ... | 2012 | 23284957 |
| molecular detection of acinetobacter species in lice and keds of domestic animals in oromia regional state, ethiopia. | this study was conducted to determine the presence of acinetobacter and rickettsia species dna in lice and melophagus ovinus (sheep ked) of animals from oromia regional state in ethiopia. from september through november 2011, a total of 207 cattle, 85 sheep, 47 dogs and 16 cats were examined for ectoparasites. results of morphological identification revealed several species of ectoparasites: linognathus vituli (l. vituli), bovicola bovis (b. bovis) and solenopotes capillatus (s. capillatus) on c ... | 2012 | 23285015 |
| a new model of progressive visceral leishmaniasis in hamsters by natural transmission via bites of vector sand flies. | visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is transmitted by sand flies. protection of needle-challenged vaccinated mice was abrogated in vector-initiated cutaneous leishmaniasis, highlighting the importance of developing natural transmission models for vl. | 2013 | 23288926 |
| sandflies (diptera: psychodidae) from caves of the quartzite espinhaço range, minas gerais, brazil. | this study investigated the sandfly fauna of two quartzite caves in the espinhaço mountain range, located in the municipality of diamantina, state minas gerais. from august 2010-july 2011, entomological sampling was performed in the caves of salitre and monte cristo with two hp light traps exposed in the photic and aphotic zones of each cave. the sandfly fauna consisted of 17 species, among which lutzomyia cipoensis was predominant (54.76%). the male/female ratio in the total captures was 1:2.5. ... | 2012 | 23295752 |
| ecology of phlebotomines (diptera, psychodidae) in rural foci of leishmaniasis in tropical brazil. | this work aimed to study the community structure of sandflies, with regard to the richness, constancy, abundance, and monthly frequency of the species with a focus on the transmission of leishmaniasis. | 2012 | 23295871 |
| transmission and epidemiology of zoonotic protozoal diseases of companion animals. | over 77 million dogs and 93 million cats share our households in the united states. multiple studies have demonstrated the importance of pets in their owners' physical and mental health. given the large number of companion animals in the united states and the proximity and bond of these animals with their owners, understanding and preventing the diseases that these companions bring with them are of paramount importance. zoonotic protozoal parasites, including toxoplasmosis, chagas' disease, babe ... | 2013 | 23297259 |
| determinants for the development of visceral leishmaniasis disease. | leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease associated with a spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from self-healing cutaneous lesions to fatal visceral infections. among the most important questions in leishmania research is why some species like l. donovani infect visceral organs, whereas other species like l. major remain in the skin. the determinants of visceral leishmaniasis are still poorly understood, although genomic, immunologic, and animal models are beginning to ... | 2013 | 23300451 |
| bacterial feeding, leishmania infection and distinct infection routes induce differential defensin expression in lutzomyia longipalpis. | phlebotomine insects harbor bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens that can cause diseases of public health importance. lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the new world. insects can mount a powerful innate immune response to pathogens. defensin peptides take part in this response and are known to be active against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and some parasites. we studied the expression of a defensin gene from lutzomyia longipalpis to understand ... | 2013 | 23311993 |
| the efficacy of l. (l.) chagasi excreted-secreted antigens (esas) for visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis is due to low levels of cross-reactivity. | the analysis of promastigote excreted-secreted antigen (esa) reactivity with 53 visceral leishmaniasis (vl) cases showed that each sample reacted regardless of the antigen or the leishmania species used in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) displayed 100% positivity with the l. (l.) chagasi esa-blot recognizing bands of molecular weight ranging from 26.5 to 31.5 kda. the analysis of 160 non-visceral cases showed that 5% of the samples cross-reacted with the l. (l.) chagasi esa-elisa and 9 ... | 2013 | 23324219 |
| evaluation of rk39 rapid diagnostic tests for canine visceral leishmaniasis: longitudinal study and meta-analysis. | there is a need for sensitive and specific rapid diagnostic tests (rdt) for canine visceral leishmaniasis. the aims of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic performance of immunochromatographic dipstick rdts using rk39 antigen for canine visceral leishmaniasis by (i) investigating the sensitivity of rdts to detect infection, disease and infectiousness in a longitudinal cohort study of natural infection in brazil, and (ii) using meta-analysis to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of rd ... | 2013 | 23326615 |
| ecology of lutzomyia longipalpis in an area of visceral leishmaniasis transmission in north-eastern brazil. | visceral leishmaniasis is a major public health issue in south america, where the disease is rapidly spreading. changes in ecology and distribution of the principal vector, lutzomyia longipalpis are among the factors accounting for the increasing incidence of the disease in this region. however, information about the ecology of l. longipalpis is still incipient, which may directly impair the implementation of effective control programs. herein, the ecology of l. longipalpis was studied in a focu ... | 2013 | 23369878 |
| experimental models in vaccine research: malaria and leishmaniasis. | animal models have a long history of being useful tools, not only to test and select vaccines, but also to help understand the elaborate details of the immune response that follows infection. different models have been extensively used to investigate putative immunological correlates of protection against parasitic diseases that are important to reach a successful vaccine. the greatest challenge has been the improvement and adaptation of these models to reflect the reality of human disease and t ... | 2013 | 23369975 |
| acetylcholinesterase of the sand fly, phlebotomus papatasi (scopoli): cdna sequence, baculovirus expression, and biochemical properties. | millions of people and domestic animals around the world are affected by leishmaniasis, a disease caused by various species of flagellated protozoans in the genus leishmania that are transmitted by several sand fly species. insecticides are widely used for sand fly population control to try to reduce or interrupt leishmania transmission. zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by l. major is vectored mainly by phlebotomus papatasi (scopoli) in asia and africa. organophosphates comprise a class o ... | 2013 | 23379291 |
| cautioning the use of degree-day models for climate change projections in the presence of parametric uncertainty. | developmental models, such as degree-day models, are commonly used to predict the impact of future climate change on the intensity, distribution, and timing of the transmission of infectious diseases, particularly those caused by pathogens carried by vectors or intermediate hosts. resulting projections can be useful in policy discussions concerning regional or national responses to future distributions of important infectious diseases. although the simplicity of degree-day models is appealing, l ... | 2012 | 23387122 |
| the characterization of the phlebotomus papatasi transcriptome. | as important vectors of human disease, phlebotomine sand flies are of global significance to human health, transmitting several emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. the most devastating of the sand fly transmitted infections are the leishmaniases, causing significant mortality and morbidity in both the old and new world. here we present the first global transcriptome analysis of the old world vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis, phlebotomus papatasi (scopoli) and compare this transcriptom ... | 2013 | 23398403 |
| canine visceral leishmaniasis as a systemic fibrotic disease. | we propose that canine visceral leishmaniasis (cvl) is a systemic fibrotic disease, as evidenced by the wide distribution of fibrosis that we have found in the dogs suffering from chronic condition. the inflammatory cells apparently direct fibrosis formation. twenty-four cases (symptomatic dogs) were identified from a total of one hundred and five cases that had been naturally infected with leishmania chagasi and had been documented during an epidemiological survey of cvl carried out by the metr ... | 2013 | 23419132 |
| the 'ubiquitous' reality of vector immunology. | ubiquitination (ubiquitylation) is a common protein modification that regulates a multitude of processes within the cell. this modification is typically accomplished through the covalent binding of ubiquitin to a lysine residue onto a target protein and is catalysed by the presence of three enzymes: an activating enzyme (e1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (e2) and ubiquitin-protein ligase (e3). in recent years, ubiquitination has risen as a major signalling regulator of immunity and microbial pat ... | 2013 | 23433059 |
| transcriptome exploration of the sex pheromone gland of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae). | molecules involved in pheromone biosynthesis may represent alternative targets for insect population control. this may be particularly useful in managing the reproduction of lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of the protozoan parasite leishmania infantum in latin america. besides the chemical identity of the major components of the l. longipalpis sex pheromone, there is no information regarding the molecular biology behind its production. to understand this process, obtaining information on ... | 2013 | 23497448 |
| characterization of phlebotomus papatasi peritrophins, and the role of ppper1 in leishmania major survival in its natural vector. | the peritrophic matrix (pm) plays a key role in compartmentalization of the blood meal and as barrier to pathogens in many disease vectors. to establish an infection in sand flies, leishmania must escape from the endoperitrophic space to prevent excretion with remnants of the blood meal digestion. in spite of the role played regarding leishmania survival, little is known about sand fly pm molecular components and structural organization. we characterized three peritrophins (ppper1, ppper2, and p ... | 2013 | 23516661 |
| evaluation of pcr procedures for detecting and quantifying leishmania donovani dna in large numbers of dried human blood samples from a visceral leishmaniasis focus in northern ethiopia. | visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a disseminated protozoan infection caused by leishmania donovani parasites which affects almost half a million persons annually. most of these are from the indian sub-continent, east africa and brazil. our study was designed to elucidate the role of symptomatic and asymptomatic leishmania donovani infected persons in the epidemiology of vl in northern ethiopia. | 2013 | 23530965 |