title: Molecular epidemiology of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in Panama.
abstract: American tegumentary leishmaniasis is an increasing public health problem in Panama. This study describes the clinical characteristics and the molecular epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Panama over a 5-year period (2004-2008). Additionally, we applied a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based assay to identify Leishmania species in clinical isolates, skin scrapings, and sandflies specimens. Whereas 60.3% of cases were detected with conventional parasitologic techniques (smear or in vitro culture), the PCR detected 72% positive patients. Our clinical-epidemiologic data corroborate the high incidence of L. (Viannia) panamensis and provide evidence of peridomestic and/or domestic transmission. Mucosal involvement was observed in 4.2% of the patients. The overall natural infection rate with Leishmania in 103 pools of sandflies was 0.46%. Lutzomyia gomezi and Lutzomya panamensis were the prevalent species incriminated as vectors at the capture sites in central Panama. This study contributes to a better knowledge of the current epidemiology of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Panama.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: Aracelis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pascale
authors.forename: Franklyn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Samudio
authors.forename: Azael
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saldaña
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.forename: Yaxelis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: Jose E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Calzada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010176:Panama / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology