title: First detection of Leishmania tropica DNA and Trypanosoma species in Sergentomyia sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from an outbreak area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ghana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leishmania major and an uncharacterized species have been reported from human patients in a cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) outbreak area in Ghana. Reports from the area indicate the presence of anthropophilic Sergentomyia species that were found with Leishmania DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we analyzed the Leishmania DNA positive sand fly pools by PCR-RFLP and ITS1 gene sequencing. The trypanosome was determined using the SSU rRNA gene sequence. We observed DNA of L. major, L. tropica and Trypanosoma species to be associated with the sand fly infections. This study provides the first detection of L. tropica DNA and Trypanosoma species as well as the confirmation of L. major DNA within Sergentomyia sand flies in Ghana and suggests that S. ingrami and S. hamoni are possible vectors of CL in the study area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of L. tropica DNA in this CL focus is a novel finding in Ghana as well as West Africa. In addition, the unexpected infection of Trypanosoma DNA within S. africana africana indicates that more attention is necessary when identifying parasitic organisms by PCR within sand fly vectors in Ghana and other areas where leishmaniasis is endemic.
authors: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan ; Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
authors: Chukwunonso O
authors: CO
authors: Nzelu
authors: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors: Hirotomo
authors: H
authors: Kato
authors: Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
authors: Naiki
authors: N
authors: Puplampu
authors: Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana.
authors: Kwame
authors: K
authors: Desewu
authors: Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
authors: Shirley
authors: S
authors: Odoom
authors: Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Wilson
authors: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Sakurai
authors: Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Katakura
authors: Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.
authors: Daniel A
authors: DA
authors: Boakye
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology*; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan