Heterogeneity of Leishmania infantum chagasi kinetoplast DNA in Teresina (Brazil)

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 May;82(5):819-21. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0600.

Abstract

Leishmania infantum chagasi is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) minicircles was used to evaluate genetic profiles of 48 Leishmania infantum chagasi strains from dog and human parasite cultures, fresh collected dog bone marrow aspirates, and from infected sand flies. Results revealed that heterogeneity in kDNA minicircles depends mostly on the source of the samples, with cultured parasites showing a high degree of homogeneity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • DNA, Kinetoplast / genetics*
  • Dogs
  • Genetic Variation
  • Humans
  • Leishmania infantum / genetics*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / epidemiology
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / parasitology*
  • Phylogeny

Substances

  • DNA, Kinetoplast