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Detection and molecular identification of leishmania RNA virus (LRV) in Iranian Leishmania species
Homa Hajjaran1, Maryam Mahdi2, Mehdi Mohebali3
1Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. hajaranh@tums.ac.ir.
Abstract:
Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) was first detected in members of the subgenus Leishmania (Viannia), and later, the virulence and metastasis of the New World species were attributed to this virus. The data on the presence of LRV in Old World species are confined to Leishmania major and a few Leishmania aethiopica isolates. The aim of this study was to survey the presence of LRV in various Iranian Leishmania species originating from patients and animal reservoir hosts. Genomic nucleic acids were extracted from 50 cultured isolates belonging to the species Leishmania major, Leishmania tropica, and Leishmania infantum. A partial sequence of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene was amplified, sequenced and compared with appropriate sequences from the GenBank database. We detected the virus in two parasite specimens: an isolate of L. infantum derived from a visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patient who was unresponsive to meglumine antimoniate treatment, and an L. major isolate originating from a great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus. The Iranian LRV sequences showed the highest similarities to an Old World L. major LRV2 and were genetically distant from LRV1 isolates detected in New World Leishmania parasites. We could not attribute treatment failure in VL patient to the presence of LRV due to the limited number of specimens analyzed. Further studies with inclusion of more clinical samples are required to elucidate the potential role of LRVs in pathogenesis or treatment failure of Old World leishmaniasis.
Insights
Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) was detected in Iranian Leishmania species, including Leishmania infantum and Leishmania major. Further research is needed to understand LRV
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) is linked to virulence in New World Leishmania species.
- LRV presence in Old World species is poorly documented, mainly in Leishmania major and Leishmania aethiopica.
- Investigating LRV in Iranian Leishmania is crucial for understanding Old World leishmaniasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey the presence of Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) in Iranian Leishmania species.
- To analyze LRV in isolates from both human patients and animal reservoirs.
- To compare Iranian LRV sequences with existing global databases.
Main Methods:
- Genomic nucleic acid extraction from 50 cultured Leishmania isolates (L. major, L. tropica, L. infantum).
- Amplification and sequencing of a partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene.
- BLAST comparison of generated sequences with GenBank database entries.
Main Results:
- LRV was detected in one Leishmania infantum isolate from a visceral leishmaniasis patient unresponsive to treatment.
- LRV was identified in one Leishmania major isolate from a great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus).
- Iranian LRV sequences showed highest similarity to Old World LRV2, distinct from New World LRV1.
Conclusions:
- This study confirms the presence of LRV in Iranian Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum.
- The detected LRV strains are genetically similar to Old World LRV2.
- The role of LRV in treatment failure or pathogenesis in Old World leishmaniasis requires further investigation with larger sample sizes.
