Visceral Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania infantum in Salta, Argentina: Possible Reservoirs and Vectors

Paola A. Barroso Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Jorge D. Marco Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Fabricio M. Locatelli Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Rubén M. Cardozo Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Carlos L. Hoyos Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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María C. Mora Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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María F. García Bustos Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Inés López-Quiroga Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Tatsuyuki Mimori Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Alberto G. Gentile Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Alejandra B. Barrio Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Masataka Korenaga Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Yoshihisha Hashiguchi Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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Miguel A. Basombrío Instituto de Patología Experimental, CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Salta (UNSa), Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNSa, Salta, Argentina; Department of Parasitology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan; Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Salta, Argentina; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan; Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.14-0267
Volume/Issue:
Volume 93: Issue 2
Page(s):
334–339
Restricted access
Get Permissions

Cases of human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) were not recorded until recently in the Chaco region of northwestern Argentina. Dogs were surveyed at the sites of infection of two HVL index cases in the Chaco region of Salta province. Canine cases (CanL) were diagnosed by two parasitological methods, two molecular methods targeting mini- and maxicircle DNA, and immunochromatographic dipstick. Among 77 dogs studied, 10 (13%) were found infected with Leishmania spp. In seven dogs and two humans, the infecting species was typed as Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. The same genotype was detected in the human and two of the CanL. Although several diagnostic methods displayed weak or moderate agreement, the concordance values for serology versus maxicircle PCR were very good (Kappa index = 0.84). Sandflies captured in the area were identified as Lutzomyia migonei and Lu. cortelezzii/Lu. sallesi (cortelezzii complex). The focal appearance of leishmaniasis in dogs and humans in a sylvatic region and its relatively low prevalence of infection suggests that L. (L.) infantum transmission to dogs and humans may, in this region, stem from sylvatic reservoirs.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Miguel A. Basombrío, Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Av. Bolivia 5150, 4400 Salta, Argentina. E-mail: basombri@unsa.edu.ar
† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Financial support: This work was supported by grant PICT-2009-0135 of the National Agency for Science and Technology, Argentina, grant no. 2041 of Research Council of the National University of Salta, grant KAKENHI 18-06242 of Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and grant no. 23256002 of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Japan.

Authors' addresses: Paola A. Barroso, Jorge D. Marco, María C. Mora, María F. García Bustos, Alejandra B. Barrio, and Miguel A. Basombrío, Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Salta, Argentina, E-mails: paobarar@yahoo.com.ar, diegomarcoar@yahoo.com.ar, mariaceliamora@yahoo.com.ar, mariafernandagarcia2008@yahoo.com.ar, aleba05@yahoo.com.ar, and basombri@unsa.edu.ar. Fabricio M. Locatelli and Masataka Korenaga, Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan, E-mails: fm.locatelli@gmail.com and korenaga@kochi-u.ac.jp. Rubén M. Cardozo and Alberto G. Gentile, Dirección de Epidemiología, Ministerio de Salud, Salta, Argentina, E-mails: cardozorm@gmail.com and agentile@salta.gov.ar. Carlos L. Hoyos and Inés López-Quiroga, Instituto de Investigaciones en Enfermedades Tropicales, Sede Regional Orán, Universidad Nacional de Salta, San Ramón de la Nueva Orán, Argentina, E-mails: carloshoyos@gmail.com and ineslq@hotmail.com. Tatsuyuki Mimori, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, Japan, E-mail: mimori@kumamoto-u.ac.jp. Yoshihisha Hashiguchi, Centro de Biomedicina, Universidad Central de Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador, E-mail: yhashiguchi42@yahoo.co.jp.

Copyright:
© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2015
Received:
30 Apr 2014
|
Accepted:
10 Mar 2015
|
Published Online:
05 Aug 2015
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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