Open AccessLeishmania tarentolae and Leishmania infantum in humans, dogs and cats in the Pelagie archipelago, southern Italy
Author(s) -
Roberta Iatta,
Domenico Otranto,
Maria Stefanía Latrofa,
Antonio Cascio,
Emanuele Brianti,
Marco Pombi,
Simona Gabrielli,
Domenico Otranto
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009817
Subject(s) - leishmania infantum , serology , leishmaniasis , canine leishmaniasis , visceral leishmaniasis , leishmania , cats , biology , virology , veterinary medicine , antibody , medicine , immunology , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is endemic in the Mediterranean basin with most of the infected human patients remaining asymptomatic. Recently, the saurian-associated Leishmania tarentolae was detected in human blood donors and in sheltered dogs. The circulation of L . infantum and L . tarentolae was investigated in humans, dogs and cats living in the Pelagie islands (Sicily, Italy) by multiple serological and molecular testing. Human serum samples (n = 346) were tested to assess the exposure to L . infantum by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) and to L . tarentolae by IFAT. Meanwhile, sera from dogs (n = 149) and cats (n = 32) were tested for both Leishmania species by IFAT and all blood samples, including those of humans, by specific sets of real time-PCR for L . infantum and L . tarentolae . The agreement between serological tests performed for human samples, and between serological and molecular diagnostic techniques for both human and animal samples were also assessed. Overall, 41 human samples (11.8%, 95% CI: 8.9–15.7) were positive to L . infantum (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.3–8.1), L . tarentolae (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.3–8.1) and to both species (1.4%, 95% CI: 0.6–3.3) by serology and/or molecular tests. A good agreement among the serological tests was determined. Both Leishmania spp. were serologically and/or molecularly detected in 39.6% dogs and 43.7% cats. In addition to L . infantum , also L . tarentolae circulates in human and animal populations, raising relevant public health implications. Further studies should investigate the potential beneficial effects of L . tarentolae in the protection against L . infantum infection.