First report of Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis in South American territory and confirmation of Leishbunyavirus infecting this parasite in a mare

BACKGROUND Epidemiological data related to leishmaniases or Leishmania infection in horses are scarce. However, studies carried out in different regions in the world showed equids parasitised by Leishmania braziliensis, L. infantum and L. martiniquensis. OBJECTIVES Identify the Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in a mare, living in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), and search the presence of Leishmania viruses in the isolated parasite. METHODS Isoenzymes and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting ITSrDNA region followed by sequencing were conducted for typing the isolated parasite. A search for Leishmania virus infection was also performed. FINDINGS The mare presented skin nodules and ulcers in the left pinna caused by Leishmania spp. that was detected by culture and PCR. The parasite was identified as Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis, infected by Leishbunyavirus (LBV), representing the first description of this species in South America. The animal travelled to different Brazilian regions, but not to outside the country. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The worldwide distribution of L. martiniquensis and its infection by LBV were confirmed in this study, indicating the autochthonous transmission cycle in Brazil. The clinical profile of the disease in the mare, showing fast spontaneous healing of cutaneous lesions, may indicate that skin lesions related to L. martiniquensis infection in horses might be underdiagnosed.

First report of Leishmania RNA virus 1 in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis clinical isolates from Rio de Janeiro State - Brazil

BACKGROUND Leishmania parasites carry a double-stranded RNA virus (Leishmania RNA virus - LRV) that has been divided in LRV1 and LRV2. OBJECTIVES Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis clinical isolates were assessed in order to determine LRV presence. METHODS Two-round polymerase chain reaction (PCR and nested PCR) was performed to detect LRV1 or LRV2 in L. (V.) braziliensis clinical isolates (n = 12). FINDINGS LRV1 was detected in three clinical isolates which was phylogenetically related to other sequences reported from other American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) endemic areas of Brazil. Patients infected with L. (V.) braziliensis LRV-negative showed only cutaneous lesions while LRV-positive reported different manifestations. MAIN CONCLUSION Data presented here show for the first time that LRV1 is circulating in L. (V.) braziliensis clinical isolates from Rio de Janeiro State in Brazil.

Good response to pentamidine isethionate in a case of Mucosal Leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis that was difficult to treat: Case Report

Abstract In Brazil, meglumine antimoniate is the first drug of choice for mucosal leishmaniasis treatment followed by amphotericin B and pentamidine isethionate. We report the case of a patient with severe mucosal lesions caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis that were difficult to treat. Over a 14-year period, the patient showed low adherence and three treatment attempts with meglumine antimoniate failed. Additionally, there was an unsatisfactory response to liposomal amphotericin B and nephrotoxicity when using amphotericin B deoxycholate that persisted after new treatment attempt with liposomal amphotericin B. Finally, healing was achieved with pentamidine isethionate and maintained during nine months of monitoring.

Effect of secondary infection on epithelialisation and total healing of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions

BACKGROUND Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) generally presents with a single or several localised cutaneous ulcers without involvement of mucous membranes. Ulcerated lesions are susceptible to secondary contamination that may slow the healing process. OBJECTIVE This study verified the influence of non-parasitic wound infection on wound closure (epithelialisation) and total healing. METHODS Twenty-five patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CL and ulcerated lesions underwent biopsy of ulcer borders. One direct microbial parameter (germ identification in cultures) and four indirect clinical parameters (secretion, pain, burning sensation, pruritus) were analysed. FINDINGS Biopsies of ten lesions showed secondary infection by one or two microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes and Candida parapsilosis). "Secretion" and "burning sensation" influenced epithelialisation time but not total healing time. Positive detection of germs in the ulcer border and "pain" and "pruritus" revealed no influence on wound closure. CONCLUSIONS Our borderline proof of clinical CL ulcer infection inhibiting CL wound healing supports the need to follow antimicrobial stewardship in CL ulcer management, which was recently proposed for all chronic wounds.

Sensibilidade ao antimonial pentavalente in vitro de amostras de Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis isoladas antes e após o tratamento de pacientes / Susceptibility of samples of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis isolated before and after treatment of patients with therapeutic failure to pentavalent antimonials

Os antimoniais pentavalentes representam a principal opção para tratamento das leishmanioses, sendo utilizado no Brasil, o antimoniato de meglumina (Glucantime). A variabilidade da resposta ao tratamento pode estar condicionada a fatores relacionados ao hospedeiro, aos parasitas ou mesmo aos esquemas terapêuticos empregados. Neste estudo, avaliamos amostras de Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis em ensaios in vitro quanto à sensibilidade ao antimoniato de meglumina. Foram comparadas as DL50 observadas, tanto para formas promastigotas quanto para formas amastigotas, de amostras isoladas no momento do diagnóstico antes do tratamento (amostra A) e de amostras isoladas após o primeiro ciclo de tratamento (amostra B). Sete pares de amostras (A e B) foram selecionados, sendo quatro isolados de pacientes com falha terapêutica e três de pacientes com reativação. As formas promastigotas foram expostas a concentrações de antimoniato de meglumina entre 3,955 mig e 8,1 mg/mL e avaliadas após 24 e 48 horas de exposição. As formas amastigotas, em macrófagos murinos, foram expostas a concentrações de 20, 40 e 80 mig/mL de antimoniato de meglumina, cuja cinética de infecção foi avaliada em intervalos de 0, 24, 48 e 72 horas, baseada em dois parâmetros: percentual de células infectadas e número médio de amastigotas por macrófago. Todas as amostras B de formas promastigotas apresentaram valores da DL50 superiores aos obtidos com as amostras A, exceto para as amostras de um paciente. Nos ensaios com formas amastigotas, as amostras B apresentaram valores da DL50 mais elevados que a amostra A em 4 casos, com aumentos que variaram de 17 a 20 porcento em 3 pacientes e de 100 porcento em um caso. Nos demais pacientes, os valores da DL50 de A e B foram semelhantes. Dos sete pacientes estudados, um abandonou o tratamento e seis apresentaram cura, após retratamento, pelo uso da Anfotericina B (4 casos) ou antimoniato de meglumina (2 casos). Não foi possível correlacionar os resultados obtidos neste estudo com a clínica ou a resposta ao tratamento. É possível que outros fatores relacionados aos pacientes, tais como a condição imunológica e a resposta frente à infecção possam influenciar na resposta à terapêutica antimonial.

Pentavalent antimonials are the first drug of choice for leishmaniasis treatment and in Brazil meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime) is used. The variability of the response to treatment may be conditioned to factors related to the host, the parasites or even the therapeutic plan. In this study we assessed the susceptibility to meglumine antimoniate of samples of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in in vitro tests. We compared the DL50 of both promastigote and amastigote forms of samples isolated at diagnosis before treatment (sample A) and samples isolated after the first cycle of treatment (sample B). Seven pairs of samples (A and B) were selected, four isolated from patients with treatment failure and three from patients with reactivation. The promastigote forms were exposed to meglumine antimoniate concentrations between 3,955 mig and 8,1 mg/mL and were assessed after 24 and 48 hours of exposition. The amastigotes, in murine macrophages, were exposed to concentrations of 20, 40 and 80 mig/mL of meglumine antimoniate, and the infection kinetics was assessed at time intervals of 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours, through two parameters: percentage of infected cells and average number of amastigotes per macrophage. All B samples of promastigotes presented DL50 values higher than those obtained with A samples, except for one patient. In tests with amastigotes, the B samples showed higher DL50 values than sample A in 4 cases, with increases ranging from 17 to 20 percent in 3 patients and 100 percent increase in one case. In other patients, DL50 values of A and B were similar. One of the seven patients studied abandoned treatment and six were clinically healed after retreatment with Anphotericin B (4 cases) or meglumine antimoniate (2 cases). It was not possible to correlate the results of this study with the clinics or response to treatment. It is possible that other patient related factors such as immunological condition or response to infection may influence the response to antimonial treatment.