title: Seroprevalence and asymptomatic carriage of Leishmania spp. in Austria, a non-endemic European country.
abstract: Leishmaniasis is a rare disease in Central Europe and is diagnosed almost exclusively in travellers or migrants coming from tropical or subtropical countries. We conducted an explorative cross-sectional serological study, using a commercial ELISA, in 1048 healthy Austrian individuals to assess the distribution of specific antibodies against Leishmania spp. in humans in Austria. Overall, 47 individuals (4.5%) tested positive, and an additional 32 (3.1%) showed borderline results. After 12 months, sera from 42 of the 79 individuals who had initially tested seropositive/borderline were tested by ELISA a second time: 18 were persistently positive, nine were borderline. Those whose sera were persistently positive/borderline were then screened for potential carrier status using a commercial oligochromatographic PCR test to detect parasite DNA. Four samples were PCR positive and were subjected to a second PCR allowing parasite identification after DNA sequencing: two samples were identified as Leishmania donovani/infantum complex and Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, respectively. Epidemiological information was obtained with a questionnaire: no correlation was found for the number of holiday trips within the previous 6 months, but a significant risk of exposure to Leishmania spp. was found for travel to the New World, particularly to the Caribbean. Our data demonstrate that Leishmania spp. seroprevalence in non-endemic countries has been considerably underestimated.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Poeppl
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Herkner
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Tobudic
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Faas
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Auer
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mooseder
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Burgmann
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Walochnik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer