title: Is it time to revise the nomenclature of Leishmania?
abstract: Leishmania is notable for a large number of described species. Molecular phylogenies of Leishmania have increasingly suggested that the number of species could be too large. A recent phylogenetic analysis of the heat-shock protein 70 gene (hsp70) by Fraga and colleagues supports the existence of only eight medically relevant species compared to 17 species as defined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. Whether a revised classification system should be introduced for Leishmania is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. gabriele.schoenian@charite.de
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schönian
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mauricio
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cupolillo
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins