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Polymorphisms of cytochrome b gene in Leishmania parasites and their relation to types of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions in Pakistan
Author(s) -
MYINT Chomar Kaung,
ASATO Yutaka,
YAMAMOTO Yuichi,
KATO Hirotomo,
BHUTTO Abdul M.,
SOOMRO Farooq R.,
MEMON Muhamad Z.,
MATSUMOTO Jun,
MARCO Jorge D.,
OSHIRO Minoru,
KATAKURA Ken,
HASHIGUCHI Yoshihisa,
UEZATO Hiroshi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2008.00419.x
Subject(s) - leishmania tropica , cutaneous leishmaniasis , cytochrome b , leishmania , leishmaniasis , biology , leishmania major , parasite hosting , veterinary medicine , gene , phylogenetic tree , genetics , medicine , world wide web , computer science
The exact species and/or strains of Leishmania parasites involved strongly influence the clinical and epidemiological features of leishmaniasis, and current knowledge of those influences and relationships is inadequate. We report that cytochrome b ( cyt b) gene sequencing identified causal Leishmania parasites of 69 cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in Pakistan over a 3‐year period. Of 21 cases in highland areas (Quetta city, Balochistan province), 16 (76.2%) were identified as Leishmania (L.) tropica and five (23.8%) as Leishmania (L.) major. Of 48 cases from lowland areas, cities/villages in Indus valley in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, 47 (97.9%) were identified as L. (L.) major and one (2.1%) as L. (L.) tropica . Statistical analysis (Fisher's exact test) revealed a significant difference ( P < 0.0001) in the distribution of the two species by altitude; L. (L.) major is predominant in lowland and L. (L.) tropica at highland areas. The present result enriched our earlier finding, based on the first year's cultured parasite data, that only L. (L.) tropica was found in highland areas and only L. (L.) major in lowland areas. Among Leishmania samples analyzed, three types of cyt b polymorphism of L. (L.) major were found, including 45 (86.5%) cases of type I, six (11.5%) of type II and one (2%) of type III. We report for the first time on the presence of polymorphisms in L. (L.) major (types I, II and III) based on species identification using cyt b gene sequencing from clinical samples. Moreover, we found no correlation between clinical presentation (wet‐, dry‐ and/or mixed‐types of cutaneous lesions) and causal Leishmania parasites.