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Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...

Antiprotozoal Agents

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Quantification of Intracellular Growth Inside Macrophages is a Fast and Reliable Method for Assessing the Virulence of Leishmania Parasites

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Hunger tolerance and Leishmania in sandflies.

Y Schlein¹, R L Jacobson

¹Department of Parasitology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, PO Box 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. schlein@md.huji.ac.il

|November 9, 2001

Summary

Sandflies that tolerate hunger due to sugar scarcity may become more susceptible to Leishmania major. This study links fly survival traits with pathogen susceptibility in arid environments.

Area of Science:

Vector-borne disease ecology
Parasitology
Entomology

Background:

Phlebotomus papatasi sandflies transmit Leishmania major, causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in arid Old World regions.
Seasonal dehydration and heat stress reduce plant sugar, impacting sandfly survival and pathogen transmission.
Flies relying on plant sugars face survival challenges, potentially linking hunger tolerance with pathogen susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between sugar deprivation tolerance and Leishmania major susceptibility in Phlebotomus papatasi.
To determine if selection for traits advantageous for survival in harsh environments increases pathogen susceptibility.

Main Methods:

Comparing Leishmania major susceptibility in sandflies selected for sugar deprivation tolerance.

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Assessing sandfly susceptibility from both irrigated and arid habitats.

Evaluating the link between physiological stress tolerance and parasite infection.

Main Results:

Sandflies selected for sugar deprivation exhibited increased susceptibility to Leishmania major.
Flies from arid habitats showed a correlation between hunger tolerance and higher pathogen loads.
Evidence suggests a trade-off between survival under resource scarcity and resistance to infection.

Conclusions:

Hunger tolerance in Phlebotomus papatasi, an adaptation to arid conditions, is associated with increased susceptibility to Leishmania major.
This finding highlights a potential mechanism where environmental pressures shape vector competence and disease transmission dynamics.
Understanding these trade-offs is crucial for predicting and managing leishmaniasis spread in changing climates.