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Aetiology of leishmaniasis

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Leishmaniasis is a tropical and subtropical disease caused by an intracellular parasite transmitted to humans by the bite of a sand fly, mainly Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia (Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and part of South America); exceptionally, transmission has also been reported as a laboratory accident

  • Leishmania amazonensis
    • is responsible for the anergic diffuse cutaneous form and the cutaneous forms with disseminated lesions

  • Leishmania chagasi
    • causes visceral American leishmaniasis and has a wide distribution in Latin America, extending from Mexico to Argentina

  • L. mexicana
    • is observed in Mexico, Colombia, the Caribbean Sea region, and Ecuador and produces muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis ("Espundia") and the classic cutaneous form known as chiclero's ulcer (gum tree harvester's ulcer)

  • Leishmania pifanoi
    • is the causal agent of muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela

  • Leishmania venezuelensis
    • observed in the Venezuelan Andes

  • Leishmania donovani
    • is responsible for VL in the Old World

  • L. infantum
    • causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in infants

  • L. tropica is the causal agent of CL

  • Leishmania aethiopica is the causal agent of CL and muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis

Reference:

  • Torres-Guerrero E, Quintanilla-Cedillo MR, Ruiz-Esmenjaud J, Arenas R. Leishmaniasis: a review. F1000Res. 2017 May 26;6:750.

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