Isolation, typing, and drug susceptibility of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum isolates from dogs of the municipality of Embu das Artes, an endemic region for canine leishmaniasis in Brazil

Autor(es)

Ferreira, Bianca A. ; Martins, Thaynan F. C. ; Coser, Elizabeth M. ; Oliveira, Viviane da L. ; Yamashiro-Kanashiro, Edite H. ; Rocha, Mussya C. ; Pinto, Marcelo M. ; Cotrim, Paulo C. ; Coelho, Adriano C.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Parasitology Research; v. 121, n. 9, p. 13-pg., 2022-07-08.

Resumo

The parasitic protozoa Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum is the etiological agent of human visceral leishmaniasis and canine leishmaniasis in South America, where Brazil is the most affected country. This zoonotic disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected phlebotomine sand fly and dogs constitute the main domestic reservoir of the parasite. In this study, we screened 2348 dogs of the municipality of Embu das Artes, Brazil, for antibodies against the parasite. Prevalence for canine leishmaniasis seropositivity was 2.81%, as assessed using a Dual-Path Platform rapid test for canine leishmaniasis. Twenty-five seropositive dogs were euthanized for parasite isolation and 14 isolates were successful obtained. Nucleotide sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer confirmed the isolates to be L. (L.) infantum, and very low sequence variability was observed among them. The in vitro susceptibility to miltefosine and paromomycin was assessed and moderate variation in paromomycin susceptibility was found among the isolates in the promastigote and intracellular amastigote stages. On the other hand, in vitro susceptibility to miltefosine of these isolates was homogenous, particularly in the amastigote stage (EC50 values from 0.69 to 2.07 mu M). In addition, the miltefosine sensitivity locus was deleted in all the isolates, which does not corroborate the hypothesis that the absence of this locus is correlated with a low in vitro susceptibility. Our findings confirm that the municipality of Embu das Artes is endemic for canine leishmaniasis and that isolates from this region are susceptible to paromomycin and miltefosine, indicating the potential of these drugs to be clinically evaluated in the treatment of human visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/04487-6 - Análise da eficiência da PCR com identificação específica do agente etiológico para Leishmaniose visceral canina no município de Embu das Artes
• Beneficiário: Thaynan Fernandes Cunha Martins
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 18/03299-0 - Avaliação da eficácia da paromomicina no tratamento da leishmaniose tegumentar experimental
• Beneficiário: Elizabeth Magiolo Coser
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 20/01948-1 - Avaliação da suscetibilidade in vitro a fármacos alternativos em isolados clínicos e de cães de Leishmania spp
• Beneficiário: Bianca Alves Ferreira
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado