Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Members of Leishmania braziliensis Complex in Nayarit, State of Mexico

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 96; no. 1; pp. 15 - 19
• Main Authors: Sanchez-Tejeda, G, Rodriguez, N, Parra, C I, Hernandez-Mantes, O, Barker, D C, Monroy-Ostria, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 01-01-2001; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Animals; Cattle; DNA, Protozoan - isolation & purification; epidemiology; Female; Humans; Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis; Leishmania braziliensis; Leishmania braziliensis - genetics; leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - epidemiology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - parasitology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - pathology; Male; Mexico; Mexico - epidemiology; Mexico, Nayarit; mucocutaneous leishmaniasis; mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, epidemiology, Nayarit, Mexico; Nayarit; PARASITOLOGY; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sensitivity and Specificity; Skin Tests; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Mexico; Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis; epidemiology; Nayarit; Mexico; mucocutaneous leishmaniasis
• ISSN: 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 0074-0276; 1678-8060
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762001000100002

An epidemiological study was carried out in the northern Mexican state,
Nayarit. Fourteen patients with possible cutaneous leishmaniasis skin
lesions gave positive Montenegro skin tests. Biopsies were taken from
the skin ulcer and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with
specific primers for the Leishmania mexicana complex; however all
biopsies were not amplified. PCR carried out with specific primers for
the L. braziliensis complex resulted in the amplification of all
patient DNA. DNA from 12 out of 14 biopsies gave positive amplification
with primers species specific for L. (Viannia) braziliensis and
hybridized with a species specific L. (V.) braziliensis probe. These
results demonstrate the presence in Nayarit of at least two members of
the L. braziliensis complex. Most of the cutaneous lesions were caused
by L. (V.) braziliensis and two by another species belonging to the L.
braziliensis complex. As far as we are aware, this is the first report
of L. (V.) braziliensis in Nayarit. The main risk factor associated
with the contraction of this disease in Nayarit is attributed to
working on coffee plantations.