title: Species typing in dermal leishmaniasis.
abstract: Leishmania is an infectious protozoan parasite related to African and American trypanosomes. All Leishmania species that are pathogenic to humans can cause dermal disease. When one is confronted with cutaneous leishmaniasis, identification of the causative species is relevant in both clinical and epidemiological studies, case management, and control. This review gives an overview of the currently existing and most used assays for species discrimination, with a critical appraisal of the limitations of each technique. The consensus taxonomy for the genus is outlined, including debatable species designations. Finally, a numerical literature analysis is presented that describes which methods are most used in various countries and regions in the world, and for which purposes.
authors: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium gvdauwera@itg.be.
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: Van der Auwera
authors: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium Antwerp University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Jean-Claude
authors: JC
authors: Dujardin
mesh_terms: D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity