Publications

Histopathological and parasitological study of the gastrointestinal tract of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum.	ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to provide a systematic pathological and parasitological overview of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon, of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania. METHODS: Twenty mongrel dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and obtained from the Control Zoonosis Center of the Municipality of Ribeirao das Neves, Belo Horizonte Metropolitan area, Minas Gerais (MG) state, Br ...	2011	22166041
canine visceral leishmaniasis in teresina, brazil: relationship between clinical features and infectivity for sand flies.	leishmania chagasi is an intracellular parasite transmitted by the bite of the phlebotomine sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis, which is the most important of american visceral leishmaniasis. in the gut of the vector, amastigoste forms of the parasite transform into metacyclic promastigotes, from there to the foregut, where they could be transmitted in the next blood meal. xenodiagnosis is an important tool for the detection of leishmania, especially when associated to molecular techniques, both bei ...	2011	20816657
[distribution of lutzomyia longipalpis in the argentine mesopotamia, 2010].	the first case of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in argentina was reported in 2006 in posadas, misiones. during the summer 2008-2009 lutzomyia longipalpis, the vl vector, and canine vl cases were already spread along the province of corrientes. in order to know the distribution of vl risk, systematic captures of the vector were performed between february and march 2010, in 18 areas of the provinces of entre ríos and corrientes, and the city of puerto iguazú, misiones, with a total of 313 traps/nigh ...	2011	21296716
functional genomics of the horn fly, haematobia irritans (linnaeus, 1758).	the horn fly, haematobia irritans (linnaeus, 1758) (diptera: muscidae) is one of the most important ectoparasites of pastured cattle. horn flies infestations reduce cattle weight gain and milk production. additionally, horn flies are mechanical vectors of different pathogens that cause disease in cattle. the aim of this study was to conduct a functional genomics study in female horn flies using expressed sequence tags (est) analysis and rna interference (rnai).	2011	21310032
in vitro effect of aloe vera, coriandrum sativum and ricinus communis fractions on leishmania infantum and on murine monocytic cells.	in south america, visceral leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan species leishmania infantum (syn. l. chagasi) and is primarily transmitted through the bite of the female lutzomyia longipalpis. its main reservoir in urban areas is the dog. the application of control measures recommended by health agencies have not achieved significant results in reducing the incidence of human cases, and the lack of effective drugs to treat dogs resulted in the prohibition of this course of action ...	2011	21320755
[natural infection with leishmania infantum chagasi in lutzomyia (lutzomyia) longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) sandflies captured in the municipality of janaúba, state of minas gerais, brazil].	visceral leishmaniasis has been notified in nearly all states of brazil, and particularly in the north of minas gerais, where the disease is endemic. the aim of this study was to detect natural infection of lutzomyia longipalpis and, through the pcr/rflp technique, identify leishmania species found in sandflies in the municipality of janaúba.	2011	21340410
[evidence of transmission of visceral leishmaniasis by lutzomyia cruzi in the municipality of jaciara, state of mato grosso, brazil].	the municipality of jaciara was classified in 2003 as a transmission area for visceral leishmaniasis in outbreak situations. this study aimed to establish evidence of transmission of leishmania (leishmania) infantum chagasi by lutzomyia cruzi in the municipality of jaciara, state of mato grosso, brazil.	2011	21340413
sub-additive effect of conspecific eggs and frass on oviposition rate of lutzomyia longipalpis and phlebotomus papatasi.	oviposition behavior is a fairly neglected aspect in our understanding of the biology of sand flies. in this study, we used a comparative approach using both new- and old-world species (lutzomyia longipalpis and phlebotomus papatasi) in choice and no-choice oviposition chambers to evaluate the effect of old sand fly colony remains (frass), conspecific eggs, and their combination on oviposition rates of these sand flies. we also tested the effect of egg washing with de-ionized water on ovipositio ...	2011	21366766
imidacloprid as a potential agent for the systemic control of sand flies.	our goal was to study the effectiveness of the insecticide imidacloprid as a systemic control agent. first, to evaluate the blood-feeding effect, we fed adult female phlebotomus papatasi with imidacloprid-treated rabbit blood and monitored blood-feeding success and survival. second, to evaluate the feed-through effectiveness of this insecticide, we fed laboratory rats and sand rats with insecticide-treated food and evaluated the survival of sand fly larvae feeding on rodents' feces. in the blood ...	2011	21366768
reactive oxygen species scavenging by catalase is important for female lutzomyia longipalpis fecundity and mortality.	the phlebotomine sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl), the disseminated and most serious form of the disease in central and south america. in the natural environment, most female l. longipalpis are thought to survive for less than 10 days and will feed on blood only once or twice during their lifetime. successful transmission of parasites occurs when a leishmania-infected female sand fly feeds on a new host. knowledge of factors aff ...	2011	21408075
plant extracts, isolated phytochemicals, and plant-derived agents which are lethal to arthropod vectors of human tropical diseases--a review.	the recent scientific literature on plant-derived agents with potential or effective use in the control of the arthropod vectors of human tropical diseases is reviewed. arthropod-borne tropical diseases include: amebiasis, chagas disease (american trypanosomiasis), cholera, cryptosporidiosis, dengue (hemorrhagic fever), epidemic typhus (brill-zinsser disease), filariasis (elephantiasis), giardia (giardiasis), human african trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), isosporiasis, leishmaniasis, lyme di ...	2011	21432748
humoral response to the anopheles gambiae salivary protein gsg6: a serological indicator of exposure to afrotropical malaria vectors.	salivary proteins injected by blood feeding arthropods into their hosts evoke a saliva-specific humoral response which can be useful to evaluate exposure to bites of disease vectors. however, saliva of hematophagous arthropods is a complex cocktail of bioactive factors and its use in immunoassays can be misleading because of potential cross-reactivity to other antigens. toward the development of a serological marker of exposure to afrotropical malaria vectors we expressed the anopheles gambiae g ...	2011	21437289
infectivity to phlebotomus perniciosus of dogs naturally parasitized with leishmania infantum after different treatments.	abstract:	2011	21489241
mechanisms of ph control in the midgut of lutzomyia longipalpis: roles for ingested molecules and hormones.	control of the midgut ph in lutzomyia longipalpis enables the insect's digestive system to deal with different types of diet. phlebotomines must be able to suddenly change from a condition adequate to process a sugar diet to one required to digest blood. prior to blood ingestion, the ph in the midgut is maintained at ∼6 via an efficient mechanism. in the abdominal midgut, alkalization to a ph of ∼8 occurs as a consequence of the loss of co(2) from blood (co(2) volatilization) and by a second mec ...	2011	21490249
leishmania infection in humans, dogs and sandflies in a visceral leishmaniasis endemic area in maranhão, brazil.	leishmania infection in humans, dogs and sandflies was examined in the endemic visceral leishmaniasis (vl) municipality of raposa, state of maranhão, brazil. in this study, we examined leishmania chagasi infection in the blood serum of both humans and canis familiaris and the natural leishmania sp. infection rate in the sandfly vector, lutzomyia longipalpis. enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect immunofluorescence reaction and polymerase chain reaction were performed to detect leishmania i ...	2011	21537682
characterization of the antibody response to the saliva of phlebotomus papatasi in people living in endemic areas of cutaneous leishmaniasis.	abstract. important data obtained in mice raise the possibility that immunization against the saliva of sand flies could protect from leishmaniasis. sand fly saliva stimulates the production of specific antibodies in individuals living in endemic areas of parasite transmission. to characterize the humoral immune response against the saliva of phlebotomus papatasi in humans, we carried out a prospective study on 200 children living in areas of leishmania major transmission. we showed that 83% of ...	2011	21540371
leishmania (viannia) infection in the domestic dog in chaparral, colombia.	abstract. peridomestic transmission of american cutaneous leishmaniasis is increasingly reported and dogs may be a reservoir of leishmania (viannia) in this setting. we investigated the prevalence of infection in dogs in chaparral county, colombia, the focus of an epidemic of human cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by leishmania (viannia) guyanensis. two (0.72%) of 279 dogs had lesions typical of cutaneous leishmaniasis that were biopsy positive by kinetoplast dna polymerase chain reaction-southern ...	2011	21540374
the midgut transcriptome of phlebotomus (larroussius) perniciosus, a vector of leishmania infantum: comparison of sugar fed and blood fed sand flies.	abstract:	2011	21569254
comparative genomic analysis of chitinase and chitinase-like genes in the african malaria mosquito (anopheles gambiae).	chitinase is an important enzyme responsible for chitin metabolism in a wide range of organisms including bacteria, yeasts and other fungi, nematodes and arthropods. however, current knowledge on chitinolytic enzymes, especially their structures, functions and regulation is very limited. in this study we have identified 20 chitinase and chitinase-like genes in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, through genome-wide searching and transcript profiling. we assigned these genes into eig ...	2011	21611131
visualisation of leishmania donovani fluorescent hybrids during early stage development in the sand fly vector.	the leishmania protozoan parasites cause devastating human diseases. leishmania have been considered to replicate clonally, without genetic exchange. however, an accumulation of evidence indicates that there are inter-specific and intra-specific hybrids among natural populations. the first and so far only experimental proof of genetic exchange was obtained in 2009 when double drug resistant leishmania major hybrids were produced by co-infecting sand flies with two strains carrying different drug ...	2011	21637755
lutzomyia longipalpis saliva or salivary protein ljm19 protects against leishmania braziliensis and the saliva of its vector, lutzomyia intermedia.	leishmania transmission occurs in the presence of insect saliva. immunity to phlebotomus papatasi or lutzomyia longipalpis saliva or salivary components confers protection against an infection by leishmania in the presence of the homologous saliva. however, immunization with lutzomyia intermedia saliva did not protect mice against leishmania braziliensis plus lu. intermedia saliva. in the present study, we have studied whether the immunization with lu. longipalpis saliva or a dna plasmid coding ...	2011	21655303
lutzomyia longipalpis in uruguay: the first report and the potential of visceral leishmaniasis transmission.	phlebotomine captures were performed in february 2010 in salto (salto department) and bella unión-cuarein (artigas department), uruguay. bella unión is located across the paraná river from monte caseros, argentina, where a focus of canine visceral leishmaniasis (vl) was reported in 2009. no vl cases have ever been recorded in uruguay and the last reported capture of phlebotominae was in 1932 (lutzomyia cortelezzii and lutzomyia gaminarai). light traps were placed in peridomestic environments, an ...	2011	21655832
behavioral evidence for the presence of a sex pheromone in male phlebotomus papatasi scopoli (diptera: psychodidae).	phlebotomus papatasi (diptera: psychodidae) is the old world sand fly vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by leishmania major (trypanosomatidae: kinetoplastida), a debilitating and disfiguring protist parasitic disease prevalent throughout southern mediterranean countries, the middle east, as well as southern and eastern european countries, where it is regarded as a serious public health problem. little is known of the mating ecology of p. papatasi, and, in particular, the role (if ...	2011	21661311
comparative microsatellite typing of new world leishmania infantum reveals low heterogeneity among populations and its recent old world origin.	leishmania infantum (syn. l. chagasi) is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in the new world (nw) with endemic regions extending from southern usa to northern argentina. the two hypotheses about the origin of vl in the nw suggest (1) recent importation of l. infantum from the old world (ow), or (2) an indigenous origin and a distinct taxonomic rank for the nw parasite. multilocus microsatellite typing was applied in a survey of 98 l. infantum isolates from different nw foci. the ...	2011	21666787
structure and function of a "yellow" protein from saliva of the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis that confers protective immunity against leishmania major infection.	ljm11, an abundant salivary protein from the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis, belongs to the insect yellow family of proteins. in this study, we immunized mice with 17 plasmids encoding lu. longiplapis salivary proteins and demonstrated that ljm11 confers protective immunity against leishmania major infection. this protection correlates with a strong induction of a delayed-type hypersensitivity (dth) response following exposure to lu. longipalpis saliva. additionally, splenocytes of exposed mice ...	2011	21795673
aircraft and risk of importing a new vector of visceral leishmaniasis.	to the editor: kala-azar, or visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease that leads to fever, anemia, and hepatosplenomegaly. death is the usual outcome when infection is not treated. the majority of infections are caused by the protozoan leishmania donovani, restricted to india and eastern africa, but the most widespread are caused by l. infantum, found from people's republic of china to the new world, where it infects humans, dogs, and wild canids. all mediterranean countries are affected b ...	2011	21762613
[distribution of lutzomyia longipalpis in the chaco region, argentina, 2010.]	the appearance of the vector of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) lutzomyia longipalpis in the province of formosa in 2004 was associated with urban epidemic risk for the first time in argentina. during 2006, vectors, canine and human cases of vl were reported in the province of misiones, and in summer 2008-2009, in the province of corrientes. in santiago del estero province in 2008, cases of human and canine vl were associated with secondary vectors. therefore, with the aim to know the current distri ...	2011	21745770
no recent adaptive selection on the apyrase of mediterranean phlebotomus: implications for using salivary peptides to vaccinate against canine leishmaniasis.	vaccine development is informed by a knowledge of genetic variation among antigen alleles, especially the distribution of positive and balancing selection in populations and species. a combined approach using population genetic and phylogenetic methods to detect selective signatures can therefore be informative for identifying vaccine candidates. parasitic leishmania species cause the disease leishmaniasis in humans and mammalian reservoir hosts after inoculation by female phlebotomine sandflies ...	2011	25568049
distribution of phlebotomine fauna (diptera: psychodidae) across an urban-rural gradient in an area of endemic visceral leishmaniasis in northern brazil.	the number of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) cases has increased over the past 10 years in brazil, especially in the north and northeast regions of the country. the aim of this study was to evaluate the urbanisation of vl vectors in barcarena, pará, an area in northern brazil where vl is endemic. sandflies were captured using centers for disease control (cdc) light traps along an urban-rural gradient. the cdc traps were installed inside hen houses at a height of 150 cm. a total of 5,089 sandflies w ...	2011	22241130
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
implication of haematophagous arthropod salivary proteins in host-vector interactions.	the saliva of haematophagous arthropods contains an array of anti-haemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory molecules that contribute to the success of the blood meal. the saliva of haematophagous arthropods is also involved in the transmission and the establishment of pathogens in the host and in allergic responses. this survey provides a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological activity and immunogenic properties of the main salivary proteins characterised in various haematophag ...	2011	21951834
report of lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva, 1912) (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) in a cutaneous-leishmaniasis-endemic area of panama.	lutzomyia longipalpis is the primary vector of the parasite responsible for visceral leishmaniasis in the americas. in the present study, lu. longipalpis was found in a domiciliary area in limón, a district in capira, a region in which cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in panama. previously, this species has been found in a humid forest in this same region. finding lu. longipalpis in domiciliary areas indicates that this species may be adapting to new habitats and that it may play a role in the ...	2011	22241132
assessment of sand fly (diptera, psychodidae) control using cypermethrin in an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis, montes claros, minas gerais state, brazil.	montes claros in minas gerais state, brazil, was considered an intense transmission area for visceral leishmaniasis. this study evaluated sand fly fauna after insecticide application. captures were performed in 10 districts from september 2005 to august 2006 with cdc light traps inside and outside each residence. cypermethrin was sprayed in two cycles during november/2005 and may/2006. the 636 specimens collected, belonging to 10 species, were predominantly lutzomyia longipalpis (79%), and most ...	2011	22124489
possible implication of the genetic composition of the lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) populations in the epidemiology of the visceral leishmaniasis.	lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae) is the principal vector of american visceral leishmaniasis. several studies have indicated that the lu. longipalpis population structure is complex. it has been suggested that genetic divergence caused by genetic drift, selection, or both may affect the vectorial capacity of lu. longipalpis. however, it remains unclear whether genetic differences among lu. longipalpis populations are directly implicated in the transmission features of visceral leishma ...	2011	21936320
pheromone gland development and pheromone production in lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae).	the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) is the main vector of american visceral leishmaniasis. adult males produce a terpenoid sex pheromone that in some cases also acts as male aggregation pheromone. we have analyzed the correlation between male pheromone production levels and pheromone gland cell morphogenesis after adult emergence from pupae. the abdominal tergites of l. longipalpis males were dissected and fixed in glutaraldehyde for transmissi ...	2011	21661306
acoustic signals in the sand fly lutzomyia (nyssomyia) intermedia (diptera: psychodidae).	acoustic signals are part of the courtship of many insects and they often act as species-specific signals that are important in the reproductive isolation of closely related species. here we report the courtship songs of the sand fly lutzomyia (nyssomyia) intermedia, one of the main vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in brazil.	2011	21569534
phlebotomine fauna (diptera: psychodidae) and putative vectors of leishmaniases in impacted area by hydroelectric plant, state of tocantins, brazil.	although leishmaniases are regarded as serious public health issues in the state of tocantins, as consequence of the impact of environmental changes, small advances in taxonomic and ecological studies of phlebotominae fauna are taking place in this state. the present study aimed to improve the knowledge about the sand flies, as well as about the aspects of the bioecology of leishmaniases vectors from porto nacional, a city that was directly impacted by the construction of luís eduardo magalhães ...	2011	22163271
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
leishmaniasis: middle east and north africa research and development priorities.		2011	21814585
use of the checkerboard dna-dna hybridization technique for bacteria detection in aedes aegypti (diptera:culicidae) (l.).	bacteria associated with insects can have a substantial impact on the biology and life cycle of their host. the checkerboard dna-dna hybridization technique is a semi-quantitative technique that has been previously employed in odontology to detect and quantify a variety of bacterial species in dental samples. here we tested the applicability of the checkerboard dna-dna hybridization technique to detect the presence of aedes aegypti-associated bacterial species in larvae, pupae and adults of a. a ...	2011	22185193
identification, phylogenetic analysis and expression profile of an anionic insect defensin gene, with antibacterial activity, from bacterial-challenged cotton leafworm, spodoptera littoralis.	defensins are a well known family of cationic antibacterial peptides (amps) isolated from fungi, plants, insects, mussels, birds, and various mammals. they are predominantly active against gram (+) bacteria, and a few of them are also active against gram (-) bacteria and fungi. all insect defensins belonging to the invertebrate class have a consensus motif, c-x₅₋₁₆-c-x₃-c-x₉₋₁₀-c-x₄₋₇-cx₁-c. only seven amps have already been found in different lepidopteran species. no report was published on the ...	2011	22067477
genomic identification of a putative circadian system in the cladoceran crustacean daphnia pulex.	essentially nothing is known about the molecular underpinnings of crustacean circadian clocks. the genome of daphnia pulex, the only crustacean genome available for public use, provides a unique resource for identifying putative circadian proteins in this species. here, the daphnia genome was mined for putative circadian protein genes using drosophila melanogaster queries. the sequences of core clock (e.g. clock, cycle, period, timeless and cryptochrome 2), clock input (cryptochrome 1) and clock ...	2011	21798832
alboserpin, a factor xa inhibitor from the mosquito vector of yellow fever, binds heparin and membrane phospholipids and exhibits antithrombotic activity.	the molecular mechanism of factor xa (fxa) inhibition by alboserpin, the major salivary gland anticoagulant from the mosquito and yellow fever vector aedes albopictus, has been characterized. cdna of alboserpin predicts a 45-kda protein that belongs to the serpin family of protease inhibitors. recombinant alboserpin displays stoichiometric, competitive, reversible and tight binding to fxa (picomolar range). binding is highly specific and is not detectable for fx, catalytic site-blocked fxa, thro ...	2011	21673107
an infectious topic in reticulate evolution: introgression and hybridization in animal parasites.	little attention has been given to the role that introgression and hybridization have played in the evolution of parasites. most studies are host-centric and ask if the hybrid of a free-living species is more or less susceptible to parasite infection. here we focus on what is known about how introgression and hybridization have influenced the evolution of protozoan and helminth parasites of animals. there are reports of genome or gene introgression from distantly related taxa into apicomplexans ...	2010	24710013
copulatory courtship song in lutzomyia migonei (diptera: psychodidae).	lutzomyia migonei is a vector of leishmaniasis with a wide distribution in south america, which could favour population differentiation and speciation. cryptic species of the lutzomyia longipalpis complex, the widely distributed sand fly vector of visceral leishmaniasis in latin america, have previously been shown to display distinct copulation songs. we found that lu. migonei males also produce a song during copulation. this "lovesong" presents short trains (6-8 pulses) with an inter-pulse inte ...	2010	21225208
monitoring of lutzomyia longipalpis lutz & neiva, 1912 in an area of intense transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in rio grande do norte, northeast brazil.	urban increase of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in brazil is associated with the adaptation of its vector, lutzomyia longipalpis, to environments modified by humans. the present study reports the results of an entomological monitoring of l. longipalpis and the effect of environmental variables on its population density. sandflies were captured in the municipality of mossoró, state of rio grande do norte, northeastern brazil, from january 2005 to december 2006. two cdc light traps were placed month ...	2010	20385058
sandflies (psychodidae: phlebotominae) survey in an urban transmission area of visceral leishmaniasis, northeastern brazil.	visceral leishmaniasis (vl) is a major public health challenge in brazil, especially in states where it is endemic. the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of sand fly population density with environmental variables (temperature, rainfall and relative humidity) in urban areas of the city of mossoró, rio grande do norte, northeastern brazil. sand flies were captured with center disease control (cdc) traps installed monthly in the intra and peridomicile of three houses. data anal ...	2010	21184700
species delineation using bayesian model-based assignment tests: a case study using chinese toad-headed agamas (genus phrynocephalus).	species are fundamental units in biology, yet much debate exists surrounding how we should delineate species in nature. species discovery now requires the use of separate, corroborating datasets to quantify independently evolving lineages and test species criteria. however, the complexity of the speciation process has ushered in a need to infuse studies with new tools capable of aiding in species delineation. we suggest that model-based assignment tests are one such tool. this method circumvents ...	2010	20579368
meeting the challenges of on-host and off-host water balance in blood-feeding arthropods.	in this review, we describe water balance requirements of blood-feeding arthropods, particularly contrasting dehydration tolerance during the unfed, off-host state and the challenges of excess water that accompany receipt of the bloodmeal. most basic water balance characteristics during the off-host stage are applicable to other terrestrial arthropods, as well. a well-coordinated suite of responses enable arthropods to conserve water resources, enhance their desiccation tolerance, and increase t ...	2010	20206630
sequence and structural analysis of the chitinase insertion domain reveals two conserved motifs involved in chitin-binding.	chitinases are prevalent in life and are found in species including archaea, bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. they break down chitin, which is the second most abundant carbohydrate in nature after cellulose. hence, they are important for maintaining a balance between carbon and nitrogen trapped as insoluble chitin in biomass. chitinases are classified into two families, 18 and 19 glycoside hydrolases. in addition to a catalytic domain, which is a triosephosphate isomerase barrel, many famil ...	2010	20084296
an insight into the sialome of blood-feeding nematocera.	within the diptera and outside the suborder brachycera, the blood-feeding habit occurred at least twice, producing the present day sand flies, and the culicomorpha, including the mosquitoes (culicidae), black flies (simulidae), biting midges (ceratopogonidae) and frog feeding flies (corethrellidae). alternatives to this scenario are also discussed. successful blood-feeding requires adaptations to antagonize the vertebrate's mechanisms of blood clotting, platelet aggregation, vasoconstriction, pa ...	2010	20728537
first report of infection of lutzomyia longipalpis by leishmania (leishmania) infantum from a naturally infected cat of brazil.	in recent years, cases of feline visceral leishmaniasis (fvl) have been described in different countries. in urban areas, domestic cats are suggested as possible alternative reservoirs of leishmania (l.) infantum, the causal agent of visceral leishmaniasis (vl). this paper reports the first case of infection of lutzomyia longipalpis by l. infantum of a naturally infected cat from brazil through xenodiagnosis. the presence of a cat with fvl and its infectivity to the natural vector in belo horizo ...	2010	20832944
stage-specific adhesion of leishmania promastigotes to sand fly midguts assessed using an improved comparative binding assay.	the binding of leishmania promastigotes to the midgut epithelium is regarded as an essential part of the life-cycle in the sand fly vector, enabling the parasites to persist beyond the initial blood meal phase and establish the infection. however, the precise nature of the promastigote stage(s) that mediate binding is not fully understood.	2010	20838647
remodeling of protein and mrna expression in leishmania mexicana induced by deletion of glucose transporter genes.	glucose is a major nutrient in the insect vector stage of leishmania parasites. glucose transporter null mutants of leishmania mexicana exhibit profound phenotypic changes in both insect stage promastigotes and mammalian host stage amastigotes that reside within phagolysosomes of host macrophages. some of these phenotypic changes could be either mediated or attenuated by changes in gene expression that accompany deletion of the glucose transporter genes. to search for changes in protein expressi ...	2010	20869991
epidemiological study of the association between anti-lutzomyia longipalpis saliva antibodies and development of delayed-type hypersensitivity to leishmania antigen.	recent reports from animal models and from cross-sectional studies have suggested that host responses to anti-lutzomyia longipalpis saliva antibodies may be related to delayed-type hypersensitivity to leishmania antigen. in a prospective cohort study, we evaluated 1,080 children from two endemic areas for visceral leishmaniasis (vl) by means of kaplan-meier analysis. the incidence rate of delayed-type hypersensitivity to leishmania antigen, measured at the 24th follow-up month, was higher among ...	2010	20889873
detection of leishmania infantum in naturally infected lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae: phlebotominae) and canis familiaris in misiones, argentina: the first report of a pcr-rflp and sequencing-based confirmation assay.	in this study, a genotypification of leishmania was performed using polimerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) and sequencing techniques to identify species of leishmania parasites in phlebotomine sand flies and dogs naturally infected. between january-february of 2009, cdc light traps were used to collect insect samples from 13 capture sites in the municipality of posadas, which is located in the province of misiones of argentina. sand flies identified as lutz ...	2010	20944995
blueport: a platform to study the eosinophilic response of mice to the bite of a vector of leishmania parasites, lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies.	visceral leishmaniasis is a serious human disease transmitted, in the new world, by lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies. natural resistance to leishmania transmission in residents of endemic areas has been attributed to the acquisition of immunity to sand fly salivary proteins. one theoretical way to accelerate the acquisition of this immunity is to increase the density of antigen-presenting cells at the sand fly bite site. here we describe a novel tissue platform that can be used for this purpose.	2010	21048957
canine visceral leishmaniasis due to leishmania (l.) infantum chagasi in amazonian brazil: comparison of the parasite density from the skin, lymph node and visceral tissues between symptomatic and asymptomatic, seropositive dogs.	canine visceral leishmaniasis (cvl) is recognizable by characteristic signs of disease and is highly lethal. the infection, however, may be quite inapparent in some seropositive dogs, and this has raised the polemic question as to whether or not such animals can be a source of infection for lutzomyia longipalpis, the vector of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl). in this study we have examined 51 dogs with acute cvl from an avl area in pará state, northern brazil, and compared the parasite den ...	2010	21049230
pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide receptor 1 mediates anti-inflammatory effects in allergic airway inflammation in mice.	bronchial asthma is characterized by airway inflammation and reversible obstruction. since the gold standard of therapy, a combination of anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and bronchodilatory β(2) agonists, has recently been discussed to be related to an increased mortality, there is a need for novel therapeutic pathways.	2010	21059121
lutzomyia longipalpis saliva triggers lipid body formation and prostaglandin e₂ production in murine macrophages.	sand fly saliva contains molecules that modify the host's hemostasis and immune responses. nevertheless, the role played by this saliva in the induction of key elements of inflammatory responses, such as lipid bodies (lb, also known as lipid droplets) and eicosanoids, has been poorly investigated. lbs are cytoplasmic organelles involved in arachidonic acid metabolism that form eicosanoids in response to inflammatory stimuli. in this study, we assessed the role of salivary gland sonicate (sgs) fr ...	2010	21072234
sand fly captures with disney traps in area of occurrence of leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis in the state of mato grosso do sul, mid-western brazil.	the work was conducted to study phlebotomine fauna (diptera: psychodidae) and aspects of american cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission in a forested area where leishmania (leishmania) amazonensis occurs, situated in the municipality of bela vista, state of mato grosso do sul, brazil.	2010	21085855
phlebotominae fauna (diptera: psychodidae) in an urban district of belo horizonte, brazil, endemic for visceral leishmaniasis: characterization of favored locations as determined by spatial analysis.	belo horizonte, the capital of the southeastern state of minas gerais, brazil, and the fourth-largest city in the country, has the highest incidence of human visceral leishmaniasis (vl) together with a high prevalence of canine vl. the northeast sanitary district (nsd) of belo horizonte has the largest historical average of human vl cases in the metropolitan region, and is classified as a priority area for epidemiological and entomological monitoring of the disease. the objectives of the present ...	2010	21110938
leishmania infantum: lipophosphoglycan intraspecific variation and interaction with vertebrate and invertebrate hosts.	interspecies variations in lipophosphoglycan (lpg) have been the focus of intense study over the years due its role in specificity during sand fly-leishmania interaction. this cell surface glycoconjugate is highly polymorphic among species with variations in sugars that branch off the conserved gal(β1,4)man(α1)-po(4) backbone of repeat units. however, the degree of intraspecies polymorphism in lpg of leishmania infantum (syn. leishmania chagasi) is not known. in this study, intraspecific variati ...	2010	21118695
sand flies of nicaragua: a checklist and reports of new collections.	sand flies within the genus lutzomyia serve as the vectors for all species of the protozoan parasite leishmania in the new world. in this paper, we present a summary of the 29 species of lutzomyia and one of brumptomyia previously reported for nicaragua and report results of our recent collections of 565 sand flies at eight localities in the country from 2001-2006. lutzomyia longipalpis was the predominant species collected within the pacific plains region of western nicaragua, while lutzomyia c ...	2010	21120358
sex pheromone and period gene characterization of lutzomyia longipalpis sensu lato (lutz & neiva) (diptera: psychodidae) from posadas, argentina.	lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. is the primary vector of leishmania (l.) infantum in the new world. in this study, male lutzomyia longipalpis specimens from posadas, argentina were characterized for two polymorphic markers: the male sex pheromone and the period (per) gene. the male sex pheromone was identified as (s)-9-methylgermacrene-b, the same compound produced by lu. longipalpis from paraguay and many populations from brazil. the analysis of per gene sequences revealed that the population from a ...	2010	21120366
a canine leishmaniasis pilot survey in an emerging focus of visceral leishmaniasis: posadas (misiones, argentina).	an increasing number of reports are calling our attention to the worldwide spread of leishmaniasis. the urbanization of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (vl) has been observed in different south american countries, due to changes in demographic and ecological factors. in may 2006, vl was detected for the first time in the city of posadas (misiones, argentina). this event encouraged us to conduct a clinical and parasitological pilot survey on domestic dogs from posadas to identify their potential ...	2010	21122107
eco-epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in the urban area of paracatu, state of minas gerais, brazil.	the present study was developed in the urban area of paracatu, an endemic city for the american visceral leishmaniasis in brazil. a six-month canine survey was performed with 6295 domiciled dogs in 28 districts in that area and showed that 4.2% of those (267 dogs) were positive for vl by elisa and ifat serum assays. prevalence ratios for canine vl varied between 1.2% and 16.1%, depending on the district under investigation. fifteen dogs - 80% of which were clinically asymptomatic for vl - were s ...	2010	21146311
targeting the midgut secreted ppchit1 reduces leishmania major development in its natural vector, the sand fly phlebotomus papatasi.	during its developmental cycle within the sand fly vector, leishmania must survive an early proteolytic attack, escape the peritrophic matrix, and then adhere to the midgut epithelia in order to prevent excretion with remnants of the blood meal. these three steps are critical for the establishment of an infection within the vector and are linked to interactions controlling species-specific vector competence. ppchit1 is a midgut-specific chitinase from phlebotomus papatasi presumably involved in ...	2010	21152058
study of phlebotomine sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) collected in a leishmania-endemic area of the metropolitan region of belo horizonte, brazil.	phlebotomine sand flies are distributed across nearly all faunal regions of the world, represented by over 800 species, of which many are important vectors of human pathogens. brazil is currently faced with the expansion and urbanization of leishmaniases, with an increase in the numbers of human cases and seropositive dogs in various medium-sized to large cities. the objective of the current study was to survey the phlebotomine sand fly species in an area endemic for american cutaneous leishmani ...	2010	21175043
[ecological aspects of phlebotomines (diptera: psychodidae) in the urban area of ponta porã municipality, state of mato grosso do sul, brazil].	the aim of this study was to carry out an analysis of urban phlebotomine fauna and a survey of infestations (intradomiciliary and peridomiciliary) in ponta porã municipality state of mato grosso do sul.	2010	21181032
restriction of rift valley fever virus virulence in mosquito cells.	arboviruses are maintained in a natural cycle that requires blood-sucking arthropod and vertebrate hosts. arboviruses are believed to persistently infect their arthropod host without overt pathology and cause acute infection with viremia in their vertebrate host. we have focused on elucidating how a specific arbovirus, rift valley fever (rvf) virus, causes cytopathic effect in cells derived from vertebrates and non-cytopathic infection in cells derived from arthropods. we demonstrate that the ve ...	2010	21994651
the molecular detection of different leishmania species within sand flies from a cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis sympatric area in southeastern brazil.	over the last 20 years, there has been an increase in the number of leishmaniasis cases in brazil. belo horizonte (bh) is one of the most highly populated brazilian cities that is affected by visceral leishmaniasis (vl). the health services in bh are coordinated by a central nucleus that is subdivided into nine sanitary districts. historically, the highest level of human vl cases was found in the northeast sanitary district (nsd). the objective of our study was to detect leishmania infection in ...	2010	21225201
[molecular analysis of natural infection of lutzomyia longipalpis in an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis in brazil].	the main purpose of this study was to investigate natural infection by leishmania chagasi in female sand flies in a visceral leishmaniasis (vl) focus on são luís island, maranhão state, brazil. molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was applied to determine the rate of natural infection of lutzomyia longipalpis by l. chagasi in areas of old and recent human settlement on são luís island. based on a sample of 800 female specimens captured from march to august 2005, the natural infe ...	2010	21243235
lutzomyia longipalpis naturally infected by leishmania (l.) chagasi in várzea grande, mato grosso state, brazil, an area of intense transmission of visceral leishmaniasis.	the american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) is caused by parasites belonging to the genus leishmania (trypanosomatidae) and is transmitted to humans through the bite of certain species of infected phlebotomine sand flies. in this study, we investigated the natural infection ratio of lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector species of avl in brazil, in várzea grande, mato grosso state. between july 2004 and june 2006, phlebotomine sand flies were captured in peridomestic areas using cdc light-traps. ...	2010	21243236
sand flies (diptera: psychodidae) in a cerrado area of the maranhão state, brazil.	the present paper aims to increase the knowledge on the sand fly fauna in the cerrado areas of maranhão state in urban, rural and forest environments. the research was carried out from october 2007 to september 2008, between 18:00h and 06:00h, in the municipality of chapadinha, northeast maranhão. for insect sampling, cdc light traps were set up in peridomicile and domicile areas of urban and rural zones as well as in cerrado and gallery forests. the total of 1,401 specimens belonging to 17 spec ...	2010	21271075
lutzomyia longipalpis behavior and control at an urban visceral leishmaniasis focus in argentina.	during the earlier stages of visceral leishmaniasis transmission in posadas city, misiones, both the night activity and attraction to humans of lutzomyia longipalpis were assessed, in order to provide preliminary recommendations. the impact of peridomestic deltamethrin spraying performed by local officials was also evaluated. although lu. longipalpis were found in traps located over a dog the entire night, 90% of the females were captured from 20.30h to 1.30h, and only landed on a human when he ...	2010	21748225
leishmania major glycosylation mutants require phosphoglycans (lpg2-) but not lipophosphoglycan (lpg1-) for survival in permissive sand fly vectors.	sand fly species able to support the survival of the protozoan parasite leishmania have been classified as permissive or specific, based upon their ability to support a wide or limited range of strains and/or species. studies of a limited number of fly/parasite species combinations have implicated parasite surface molecules in this process and here we provide further evidence in support of this proposal. we investigated the role of lipophosphoglycan (lpg) and other phosphoglycans (pgs) in sand f ...	2010	20084096
proteophosphoglycan confers resistance of leishmania major to midgut digestive enzymes induced by blood feeding in vector sand flies.	leishmania synthesize abundant phosphoglycan-containing molecules made up of [gal-man-po(4)] repeating units, including the surface lipophosphoglycan (lpg), and the surface and secreted proteophosphoglycan (ppg). the vector competence of phlebotomus duboscqi and lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies was tested using l. major knockout mutants deficient in either total phosphoglycans (lpg2(-) or lpg5a(-)/5b(-)) or lpg alone (lpg1(-)) along with their respective gene add-back controls. our results confi ...	2010	20088949
lutzomyia longipalpis spatial distribution and association with environmental variables in an urban focus of visceral leishmaniasis, misiones, argentina.	this study describes the spatial distribution pattern of lu. longipalpis abundance in posadas-garupá, argentina, where four cases of human visceral leishmaniasis had been recorded. a total of 2428 lu. longipalpis were captured in 42% of the 305 sites sampled with cdc light traps, its abundance shows spatial autocorrelation ranging up to 590 m (semivariogram model), with six downtown 'islands' of vector highest abundance (>or=60 individuals). a significant association between lu. longipalpis and ...	2010	20096256
control of visceral leishmaniasis in latin america-a systematic review.	while three countries in south asia decided to eliminate anthroponotic visceral leishmaniasis (vl) by 2015, its control in other regions seems fraught with difficulties. is there a scope for more effective vl control in the americas where transmission is zoonotic? we reviewed the evidence on vl control strategies in latin america-diagnosis, treatment, veterinary interventions, vector control-with respect to entomological and clinical outcomes.	2010	20098726
the effects of the fungus metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on different stages of lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera: psychodidae).	the control of visceral leishmaniasis (vl) vector is often based on the application of chemical residual insecticide. however, this strategy has not been effective. the continuing search for an appropriate vector control may include the use of biological control. this study evaluates the effects of the fungus metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum on lutzomyia longipalpis. five concentrations of the fungus were utilized, 1 x 10(4) to 1 x 10(8) conidia/ml, accompanied by controls. the unhatched eggs ...	2010	19883621
chemical composition of eucalyptus spp. essential oils and their insecticidal effects on lutzomyia longipalpis.	the chemical composition of essential oils from three species of plants belonging to the eucalyptus genus was determined and, their insecticidal effects on egg, larva and adult phases of lutzomyia longipalpis were assessed. the insects were collected in the municipality of sobral in the state of ceará, brazil. five treatments with different concentrations were performed along with two negative controls, distilled water and tween 80 (3%), and a positive control, cypermethrin (0.196mg/ml). the tes ...	2010	19896276
structural basis for the growth factor activity of human adenosine deaminase ada2.	two distinct adenosine deaminases, ada1 and ada2, are found in humans. ada1 has an important role in lymphocyte function and inherited mutations in ada1 result in severe combined immunodeficiency. the recently isolated ada2 belongs to the novel family of adenosine deaminase growth factors (adgfs), which play an important role in tissue development. the crystal structures of ada2 and ada2 bound to a transition state analogue presented here reveal the structural basis of the catalytic/signaling ac ...	2010	20147294
of cattle, sand flies and men: a systematic review of risk factor analyses for south asian visceral leishmaniasis and implications for elimination.	studies performed over the past decade have identified fairly consistent epidemiological patterns of risk factors for visceral leishmaniasis (vl) in the indian subcontinent.	2010	20161727
chicken blood provides a suitable meal for the sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis and does not inhibit leishmania development in the gut.	abstract:	2010	20205803
species-specific identification of leishmania in naturally infected sand flies captured in mato grosso do sul state, brazil.	an increase in cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis cases has been reported in recent years in the state of mato grosso do sul, brazil, and little is known to date about their etiological agents. an investigation into natural leishmania infection of sand flies captured in this state between december 2003 and august 2004 was carried out. mini-exon sequences were used as targets to identify leishmania, and an rflp technique was employed for those identified as belonging to the viannia subgenus. ca ...	2010	20219438
synthetic sex pheromone attracts the leishmaniasis vector lutzomyia longipalpis to experimental chicken sheds treated with insecticide.	abstract:	2010	20222954
cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in dogs from a rural community in northeastern brazil.	a community-based epidemiological study was carried out in a rural area in northeastern brazil, where visceral leishmaniasis is endemic, but the primary vector lutzomyia longipalpis has never been found. forty-one dogs were screened by an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (ifat) for the presence of anti-leishmania antibodies and 12 (29.3%) of them were positive. one of the ifat-positive dogs was also positive for leishmania amastigotes in bone marrow cytology and for leishmania infantum ...	2010	20227186
presence of the fire ant solenopsis invicta (westwood) (hymenoptera: formicidae) stimulates burrowing behavior by larvae of the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) (diptera: psychodidae).	the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) vectors leishmaniasis in the neotropics. although much is known about the biology of adult flies, little is known about interactions with its natural enemies. here, we examined behavior of larvae of l4 l.longipalpis on a soil substrate when exposed to the fire ant solenopsis invicata (westwood). when ants were absent, most larvae tended to remain at or close to the soil surface, but when ants were present the larvae burrowed into the soil. sandfli ...	2010	20305911
identification of a tsetse fly salivary protein with dual inhibitory action on human platelet aggregation.	tsetse flies (glossina sp.), the african trypanosome vectors, rely on anti-hemostatic compounds for efficient blood feeding. despite their medical importance, very few salivary proteins have been characterized and functionally annotated.	2010	20351782
using recombinant proteins from lutzomyia longipalpis saliva to estimate human vector exposure in visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas.	leishmania is transmitted by female sand flies and deposited together with saliva, which contains a vast repertoire of pharmacologically active molecules that contribute to the establishment of the infection. the exposure to vector saliva induces an immune response against its components that can be used as a marker of exposure to the vector. performing large-scale serological studies to detect vector exposure has been limited by the difficulty in obtaining sand fly saliva. here, we validate the ...	2010	20351785
discovery of markers of exposure specific to bites of lutzomyia longipalpis, the vector of leishmania infantum chagasi in latin america.	sand flies deliver leishmania parasites to a host alongside salivary molecules that affect infection outcomes. though some proteins are immunogenic and have potential as markers of vector exposure, their identity and vector specificity remain elusive.	2010	20351786
american visceral leishmaniasis dissociated from lutzomyia longipalpis (diptera, psychodidae) in the state of espírito santo, brazil.	the occurrence of american visceral leishmaniasis in the state of espírito santo, brazil has always been associated with the presence of the lutzomyia longipalpis vector. the geographic distribution of this vector in this state is related to the presence of specific geoclimatic characteristics, such as a dry climate, low elevations (< 450 m), steep slopes and rocky outcrops. the occurrence of human autochthonous cases of american visceral leishmaniasis in municipalities without these geoclimatic ...	2010	20396851
study of sand fly fauna in an endemic area of american cutaneous leishmaniasis and canine visceral leishmaniasis in the municipality of espírito santo do pinhal, são paulo, brazil.	canine american visceral leishmaniasis and american cutaneous leishmaniasis (acl) cases have been recorded in espírito santo do pinhal. the aim of this study was to gather knowledge of the sand fly community and its population ecology within the municipality. captures were made weekly over a period of 15 months in the urban, periurban and rural areas of the municipality, using automatic light traps. a total of 5,562 sand flies were collected, comprising 17 species. the most abundant species were ...	2010	20428683
measurement of recent exposure to phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of indian visceral leishmaniasis, by using human antibody responses to sand fly saliva.	antibody (igg) responses to the saliva of phlebotomus argentipes were investigated using serum samples from regions of india endemic and non-endemic for visceral leishmaniasis (vl). by pre-adsorbing the sera against the saliva of the competing human-biting but non-vl vector p. papatasi, we significantly improved the specificity of a p. argentipes saliva enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. using this method, we observed a statistically significant correlation between antibodies to p. argenitpes sa ...	2010	20439958
heterogeneity of leishmania infantum chagasi kinetoplast dna in teresina (brazil).	leishmania infantum chagasi is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in brazil. polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) analysis of kinetoplast dna (kdna) minicircles was used to evaluate genetic profiles of 48 leishmania infantum chagasi strains from dog and human parasite cultures, fresh collected dog bone marrow aspirates, and from infected sand flies. results revealed that heterogeneity in kdna minicircles depends mostly on the source of the samp ...	2010	20439961
insight into the sialome of the bed bug, cimex lectularius.	the evolution of insects to a blood diet leads to the development of a saliva that antagonizes their hosts' hemostasis and inflammation. hemostasis and inflammation are redundant processes, and thus a complex salivary potion composed of dozens or near 100 different polypeptides is commonly found by transcriptome or proteome analysis of these organisms. several insect orders or families evolved independently to hematophagy, creating unique salivary potions in the form of novel pharmacological use ...	2010	20441151
natural leishmania infantum infection in migonemyia migonei (frança, 1920) (diptera:psychodidae:phlebotominae) the putative vector of visceral leishmaniasis in pernambuco state, brazil.	a study of the natural infection of phlebotomine sand flies by leishmania (leishmania) infantum was conducted in an area of visceral leishmaniasis in são vicente férrer, located in the northern part of the atlantic rain forest region in the state of pernambuco, brazil. in a previous study, migonemyia migonei have been found predominantly in peridomiciles and houses in this endemic area. the analysis of m. migonei, collected by cdc light trap, by multiplex pcr assay coupled to non-isotopic hybrid ...	2010	20457120
lovesongs and period gene polymorphisms indicate lutzomyia cruzi (mangabeira, 1938) as a sibling species of the lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz and neiva, 1912) complex.	the sand fly lutzomyia cruzi (mangabeira, 1938) is implicated as a vector of american visceral leishmaniasis (avl) in some areas of brazil. lutzomyia cruzi is closely related to lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. (lutz and neiva, 1912) the main latin american vector of avl and a species complex. although females of the two species are identical, the males can be distinguished by differences in the genitalia. nevertheless, pheromone analysis shows that lu. cruzi males produce 9-methyl-germacrene-b, which ...	2010	20478408
characterization of a leishmania stage-specific mitochondrial membrane protein that enhances the activity of cytochrome c oxidase and its role in virulence.	leishmaniasis is caused by the dimorphic protozoan parasite leishmania. differentiation of the insect form, promastigotes, to the vertebrate form, amastigotes, and survival inside the vertebrate host accompanies a drastic metabolic shift. we describe a gene first identified in amastigotes that is essential for survival inside the host. gene expression analysis identified a 27 kda protein-encoding gene (ldp27) that was more abundantly expressed in amastigotes and metacyclic promastigotes than in ...	2010	20497506