title: Validation of Recombinant Salivary Protein PpSP32 as a Suitable Marker of Human Exposure to Phlebotomus papatasi, the Vector of Leishmania major in Tunisia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During a blood meal, female sand flies, vectors of Leishmania parasites, inject saliva into the host skin. Sand fly saliva is composed of a large variety of components that exert different pharmacological activities facilitating the acquisition of blood by the insect. Importantly, proteins present in saliva are able to elicit the production of specific anti-saliva antibodies, which can be used as markers for exposure to vector bites. Serological tests using total sand fly salivary gland extracts are challenging due to the difficulty of obtaining reproducible salivary gland preparations. Previously, we demonstrated that PpSP32 is the immunodominant salivary antigen in humans exposed to Phlebotomus papatasi bites and established that humans exposed to P. perniciosus bites do not recognize it.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Herein, we have validated, in a large cohort of 522 individuals, the use of the Phlebotomus papatasi recombinant salivary protein PpSP32 (rPpSP32) as an alternative method for testing exposure to the bite of this sand fly. We also demonstrated that screening for total anti-rPpSP32 IgG antibodies is sufficient, being comparable in efficacy to the screening for IgG2, IgG4 and IgE antibodies against rPpSP32. Additionally, sera obtained from dogs immunized with saliva of P. perniciosus, a sympatric and widely distributed sand fly in Tunisia, did not recognize rPpSP32 demonstrating its suitability as a marker of exposure to P. papatasi saliva.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that rPpSP32 constitutes a useful epidemiological tool to monitor the spatial distribution of P. papatasi in a particular region, to direct control measures against zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, to assess the efficiency of vector control interventions and perhaps to assess the risk of contracting the disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Soumaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marzouki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Parasitology, Biotechnologies and Biomolecules, LR11IPT06, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Wafa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kammoun-Rebai
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Jihene
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bettaieb
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdeladhim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Saoussen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hadj Kacem
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Rania
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdelkader
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gritli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology and Experimental Pathology, LR11IPT04, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Jomaa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chemkhi
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hamide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shaden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamhawi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Afif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hechmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Louzir
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jesus G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infection, LR11IPT02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Melika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000276:immunology*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014416:Tunisia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019476:Insect Proteins; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides