title: Application of kDNA as a molecular marker to analyse Leishmania infantum diversity in Portugal.
abstract: Around the Mediterranean basin Leishmania infantum is an important parasite causing canine leishmaniasis and visceral and cutaneous clinical forms in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised humans. Efficient monitoring and evaluation of epidemiology with discriminatory molecular markers are required. We investigated the genetic diversity of L. infantum in Portugal by polymerase chain amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of kinetoplastid DNA, as molecular marker. We analysed 120 Portuguese isolates of L. infantum plus 16 other non-Portuguese isolates (as a reference group) from humans, dogs and sand flies. The Portuguese population showed a high degree of polymorphism with a total of 13 profiles identified. The predominant profile was A, which was only detected in the Portuguese samples. The kinetoplastid DNA PCR-RFLP assay described here was suitable for use directly with biological samples and the profiles obtained were stable during long-term growth in vitro and in laboratory animals.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Leishmanioses, Centro Malária Outras Doenças Tropicais, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 96, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mauricio
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cristovão
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pratlong
authors.forename: Jean Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dedet
authors.forename: Lenea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology*; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000469:parasitology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011174:Portugal; D015183:Restriction Mapping
chemical_list: D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D005819:Genetic Markers