Distinct transmission cycles of Leishmania tropica in 2 adjacent foci, Northern Israel.
Transmission of Leishmania tropica was studied in 2 adjacent foci in Israel where vector populations differ. Only Phlebotomus sergenti was found infected with L. tropica in the southern focus; P. arabicus was the main vector in the northern focus. Rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) were incriminated as reservoir hosts in both foci. L. tropica strains from the northern focus isolated from sand flies, cutaneous leishmaniasis cases, and rock hyraxes were antigenically similar to L. major, and strains from the southern focus were typically L. tropica. Laboratory studies showed that P. arabicus is a competent vector of L. tropica, and P. sergenti is essentially refractory to L. tropica from the northern focus. Susceptibility of P. arabicus may be mediated by O glycoproteins on the luminal surface of its midgut. The 2 foci differ with respect to parasites and vectors, but increasing peridomestic rock hyrax populations are probably responsible for emergence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in both foci.
Svobodova
Milena
M
Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
Votypka
Jan
J
Peckova
Jitka
J
Dvorak
Vít
V
Nasereddin
Abedelmajeed
A
Baneth
Gad
G
Sztern
Julia
J
Kravchenko
Vasiliy
V
Orr
Amnon
A
Meir
David
D
Schnur
Lionel F
LF
Volf
Petr
P
Warburg
Alon
A
D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007043:Hyraxes / Q000469:parasitology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer