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Heterogeneities in leishmania infantum infection : using skin parasite burdens to identify highly infectious dogs
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Courtenay, Orin, Carson, Connor, Calvo-Bado, Leo A., Garcez, Lourdes M. and Quinnell, Rupert J. (2014) Heterogeneities in leishmania infantum infection : using skin parasite burdens to identify highly infectious dogs. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Volume 8 (Number 1). Article number e2583. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002583
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WRAP_Courtenay_journal.pntd.0002583.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (884Kb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002583
Abstract
Background: The relationships between heterogeneities in host infection and infectiousness (transmission to arthropod vectors) can provide important insights for disease management. Here, we quantify heterogeneities in Leishmania infantum parasite numbers in reservoir and non-reservoir host populations, and relate this to their infectiousness during natural infection. Tissue parasite number was evaluated as a potential surrogate marker of host transmission potential.
Methods: Parasite numbers were measured by qPCR in bone marrow and ear skin biopsies of 82 dogs and 34 crab-eating foxes collected during a longitudinal study in Amazon Brazil, for which previous data was available on infectiousness (by xenodiagnosis) and severity of infection.
Results: Parasite numbers were highly aggregated both between samples and between individuals. In dogs, total parasite abundance and relative numbers in ear skin compared to bone marrow increased with the duration and severity of infection. Infectiousness to the sandfly vector was associated with high parasite numbers; parasite number in skin was the best predictor of being infectious. Crab-eating foxes, which typically present asymptomatic infection and are non-infectious, had parasite numbers comparable to those of non-infectious dogs.
Conclusions: Skin parasite number provides an indirect marker of infectiousness, and could allow targeted control particularly of highly infectious dogs.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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| Subjects: | Q Science > QL Zoology Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) | ||||
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Leishmaniasis -- Diagnosis, Leishmania, Dogs -- Parasites -- Research | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases | ||||
| Publisher: | Public Library of Science | ||||
| ISSN: | 1935-2735 | ||||
| Official Date: | 9 January 2014 | ||||
| Dates: |
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| Date of first compliant deposit: | 26 December 2015 | ||||
| Volume: | Volume 8 | ||||
| Number: | Number 1 | ||||
| Page Range: | Article number e2583 | ||||
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002583 | ||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Open Access | ||||
| Funder: | Wellcome Trust (London, England), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Great Britain) (BBSRC) | ||||
| Grant number: | 036365 and 069169 (WT) |
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