title: Evolution of the Leishmania braziliensis species complex from amplified fragment length polymorphisms, and clinical implications.
abstract: In order to get more insight into its evolution and geographical distribution, we investigated the Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis species complex using amplified fragment length polymorphisms and sequencing of a heat-shock protein 70 gene fragment. Previously, several assays had alluded to the high genetic diversity of the group, and single-locus assays typically identified two species, i.e. L. braziliensis and Leishmania peruviana, with occasional genetic signatures of both in the same strain. By analysis of 53 parasite isolates from Peru, and eight additional ones from other countries, we identified an atypical L. braziliensis cluster, and confirmed the origin of L. peruviana from the L. braziliensis cluster during the colonization of the western Andean coastal valleys. We discuss the clinical and taxonomical implications of our findings in relation to currently used species typing assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Samwel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Odiwuor
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Veland
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arévalo
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dujardin
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van der Auwera
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005838:Genotype; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007892:Leishmania braziliensis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins