Leishmania infections: Molecular targets and diagnosis.
Progress in the diagnosis of leishmaniases depends on the development of effective methods and the discovery of suitable biomarkers. We propose firstly an update classification of Leishmania species and their synonymies. We demonstrate a global map highlighting the geography of known endemic Leishmania species pathogenic to humans. We summarize a complete list of techniques currently in use and discuss their advantages and limitations. The available data highlights the benefits of molecular markers in terms of their sensitivity and specificity to quantify variation from the subgeneric level to species complexes, (sub) species within complexes, and individual populations and infection foci. Each DNA-based detection method is supplied with a comprehensive description of markers and primers and proposal for a classification based on the role of each target and primer in the detection, identification and quantification of leishmaniasis infection. We outline a genome-wide map of genes informative for diagnosis that have been used for Leishmania genotyping. Furthermore, we propose a classification method based on the suitability of well-studied molecular markers for typing the 21 known Leishmania species pathogenic to humans. This can be applied to newly discovered species and to hybrid strains originating from inter-species crosses. Developing more effective and sensitive diagnostic methods and biomarkers is vital for enhancing Leishmania infection control programs.
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: m.akhoundi@yahoo.com.
Mohammad
M
Akhoundi
School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
Tim
T
Downing
Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
Jan
J
Votýpka
Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genomics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany.
Katrin
K
Kuhls
Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada.
Julius
J
Lukeš
Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France.
Arnaud
A
Cannet
French National Reference Centre on Leishmaniasis, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France.
Christophe
C
Ravel
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France.
Pierre
P
Marty
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France; Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France; MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France.
Pascal
P
Delaunay
Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail, ANSES, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, Cedex, France.
Mohamed
M
Kasbari
IRD/UMI 233, INSERM U1175, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France; MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France.
Bruno
B
Granouillac
Unit of Vector-borne Diseases and International Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Luigi
L
Gradoni
MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS5290-IRD224-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France; Intertryp UMR IRD177, Centre IRD de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Denis
D
Sereno
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins
Diagnostic methods; Genome-wide map; Hybrid strains; Molecular markers; Sympatric species