Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis in tegumentary leishmaniasis

Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis is a causal agent of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL). This protozoan has been poorly investigated; however, it can cause different clinical forms of ATL, ranging from a single cutaneous lesion to severe lesions that can lead to destruction of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. L. (V.) guyanensis and the disease caused by this species can present unique aspects revealing the need to better characterize this parasite species to improve our knowledge of the immunopathological mechanisms and treatment options for ATL. The mechanisms by which some patients develop a more severe form of ATL remain unclear. It is known that the host immune profile and parasite factors may influence the clinical manifestations of the disease. Besides intrinsic parasite factors, Leishmaniavirus RNA 1 (LRV1) infecting L. guyanensis can contribute to ATL immunopathogenesis. In this review, general aspects of L. guyanensis infection in humans and mouse models are presented.