Leishmaniasis Overview and Species
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Questions and Answers

What is the name of the parasite that causes Leishmaniasis?

Leishmania

What order does the Leishmania parasite belong to?

  • Kinetoplastida (correct)
  • Trypanosomatida
  • Amoebozoa
  • Sarcomastigophora

    • How many pathogenic species of Leishmania are known?

    Over 20

    What are the main hosts for Leishmania parasites?

    <p>Humans and other mammals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of transmission cycle do Leishmania parasites undergo?

    <p>Cyclical</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are sandfly vectors that transmit Leishmania parasites?

    <p>Phlebotomus spp.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following are known to be parasitic by Leishmania?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Leishmania species that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World?

    <p>L. major</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Leishmania species that causes 'dry' cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World ?

    <p>L. tropica</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which Leishmania species causes visceral leishmaniasis in Kenya?

    <p>L. donovani archibaldi</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Leishmania species L. aethiopica is commonly found in urban areas of Asia.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which Leishmania species causes visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean region and East Africa?

    <p>L. donovani infantum</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Leishmania species that causes visceral leishmaniasis in South America?

    <p>L. donovani chagasi</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which Leishmania species causes muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis in South America, specifically Brazil?

    <p>L. braziliensis braziliensis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which Leishmania species causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in Guyana, South America?

    <p>L. braziliensis guyanensis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Leishmania species found in Panama that causes muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis?

    <p>L. braziliensis panamensis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Leishmania species found in Mexico and Central America that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis?

    <p>L. mexicana mexicana, L mexicana amazonensis, L mexicana pifanoi</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Leishmania parasites only exist in their promastigote form in an insect.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common way to diagnosis Leishmaniasis?

    <p>Direct identification of the parasite</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most important feature of the Leishmania species that distinguishes it from other kinetoplastids?

    <p>The presence of a kinetoplast.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Leishmania parasites can be identified using culture methods and by detecting antibodies in the blood.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most serious and often fatal form of Leishmaniasis?

    <p>Visceral leishmaniasis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the common symptoms of visceral leishmaniasis?

    <p>Fever, malaise, weight loss, anemia, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the three main types of Leishmaniasis?

    <p>Cutaneous, Muco-cutaneous, Visceral</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The treatment of Leishmaniasis depends entirely on the symptoms of the infection.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a known factor that influences the course and outcome of Leishmaniasis?

    <p>Environmental temperature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The parasite can be found circulating in the blood during the early stages of visceral leishmaniasis.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name given to the stage of Leishmaniasis where the parasite is found in the human host?

    <p>Amastigote</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of cells in the body are affected by Leishmania parasites?

    <p>Both a and b</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Leishmaniasis can often be misdiagnosed for other conditions.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name for the stage of Leishmaniasis that occurs in the Sandfly vector?

    <p>Promastigote</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common treatment for Leishmaniasis?

    <p>Pentavalent antimony</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Leishmaniasis has no effective treatment.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a key point in the control and prevention of Leishmaniasis?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main area of focus for visceral leishmaniasis endemic areas?

    <p>Mediterranean area, South-West Asia, China and Latin America</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Leishmaniasis Overview

    • Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania genus, found in the Kinetoplastida order.
    • Over 20 pathogenic species are known.
    • The parasites affect humans and mammals, especially dogs and rodents.
    • Transmission occurs through bites from infected Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia insects.

    Leishmania Species and Distribution

    • Old World Leishmania: Divided into various complexes and species with specific diseases and geographic distributions.
      • L. major is associated with "wet" cutaneous leishmaniasis, prevalent in rural Asia and Africa.
      • L. tropica causes "dry" cutaneous leishmaniasis, found in urban areas of Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa.
      • L. aethiopica also causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ethiopia and Kenya.
      • L. donovani and its subspecies are linked to visceral leishmaniasis (kala azar) in Africa and Asia.
        • L. donovani archibaldi and L. donovani sinensis are also associated with visceral leishmaniasis, found in Kenya, China, and the Mediterranean region/East Africa, respectively.
        • L. donovani infantum specifically causes infantile visceral leishmaniasis in the Mediterranean/ East Africa regions.
    • New World Leishmania: Also has specific species with diverse diseases and distributions.
      • L. donovani chagasi and other species like L. braziliensis, L. guyanensis, and L. mexicana are associated with mainly mucocutaneous, cutaneous, and other forms. Their distribution is concentrated in South America including Andean regions

    Morphology

    • Parasites in insect vectors or culture have a promastigote form.
    • Their morphology in the host mammals has an amastigote form.
    • Leishman-Donovan bodies, which are small, oval, or round intracellular structures, measure 2-5 µm in diameter.
    • They are found in macrophages and certain other white blood cells, such as those found in organs like spleen, liver, bone marrow, etc.

    Leishmaniasis Clinical Presentations

    • Leishmaniasis has three main clinical presentations:
      • Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: This involves the skin.
        • Distinguished by L. tropica (dry sores), L. major (wet sores), and L. aethiopica.
      • Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis: This affects the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, mouth, and other tissues. L. Braziliensis being the species most involved.
      • Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala Azar): This occurs within lymphoid and reticuloendothelial tissues.
        • It is the most serious form, characterized by high fever, malaise, weight loss, anemia, and enlargement of the spleen and liver.
        • This form is prevalent in non-endemic areas but can dramatically impact affected people.

    Epidemiological Types of Visceral Leishmaniasis

    • Endemic Visceral Leishmaniasis: Primarily affects children between 1 to 4 years of age, commonly found in the Mediterranean area, South-West Asia, China, and Latin America.
    • Sporadic Visceral Leishmaniasis: Occurs in non-indigenous people entering areas with high endemic cases, usually has a more acute course in individuals.

    Epidemic Visceral Leishmaniasis

    • This form affects people of all ages, but typically with a higher incidence in the age bracket of 5 to 9 years or older.
    • It is normally found in East Africa and India
    • This form is often misdiagnosed due to its similarity with malaria.

    Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL)

    • This occurs as a sequel to visceral leishmaniasis.
    • Patients develop resistance or immunity to the disease itself, which results in PKDL.
    • It is often linked to previous infection with Leishmania tropica.

    Factors Affecting Outcome of Infection

    • Parasite strain characteristics.
    • The size of the infection.
    • Site of infection/entry point.
    • Host genetics or immune system responses.
    • HIV status and existing immunity are critical.
    • Nutritional impact.

    Diagnosis

    • Diagnosis typically involves analyzing skin lesions, blood, spleen, or bone marrow samples.
    • Stains such as May-Grunwald-Giemsa can detect Leishmania in the tissues.
    • Culture methods/tests are used to identify presence of the parasite.

    Treatment

    • Antimony based medicines are commonly used initially.
    • More modern approaches include drugs like liposomal amphotericin B, fluconazole, miltefosine.
    • Topical therapies like paromomycin or methylbenzethonium and heat therapy may also be used.

    Control Measures

    • Prevention strategies focus on avoiding sandfly bites.
    • Controlling the sandfly population and any animal reservoirs.
    • Treating infected individuals is key in containment strategies.

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    Description

    This quiz covers the essentials of leishmaniasis, including its causative parasites from the Leishmania genus and their distribution across the globe. Learn about the various species and their associated diseases, as well as the geographic areas most affected by this serious health concern.

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