Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

In Vivo Infection with Leishmania amazonensis to Evaluate Parasite Virulence in Mice
Published on: February 20, 2020
Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum transmitted by Phlebotomus tobbi
Milena Svobodová1, Bulent Alten, Lenka Zídková
1Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic. milena@natur.cuni.cz
Abstract:
Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania infantum was studied in South Anatolia, Turkey. Small, non-ulcerating lesions prevailed and patients were negative in rK39 tests for antibody detection for human visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The most abundant sand fly species, Phlebotomus tobbi, was found positive for Leishmania promastigotes with a prevalence of 1.4% (13 out of 898 dissected females). The isolated strains were identical with those obtained from patients with CL and were typed as L. infantum. Phylogenetic analysis revealed similarity to MON-188 and a clear difference from the MON-1 clade. Blood-meal identification showed that P. tobbi feeds preferentially on cattle and humans. This finding, the high number of CL patients and relative scarcity of dogs in the focus, suggests that the transmission cycle could be anthroponotic.
Related Concept Videos
Leishmaniasis
Antiprotozoal Agents
American Trypanosomiasis
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Toxoplasmosis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...

