Importance of worldwide asymptomatic carriers of Leishmania infantum (L. chagasi) in human

Human clinical cases of visceral leishmaniasis represent only the tip of the iceberg, most infections lead to an asymptomatic form. Consequences of the presence of asymptomatic carriers of Leishmania infantum were reviewed. Leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum (syn. L. chagasi) infection is a zo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta tropica 2011-08, Vol.119 (2-3), p.69-75
Main Authors: Michel, Grégory, Pomares, Christelle, Ferrua, Bernard, Marty, Pierre
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asia, Central - epidemiology
Asymptomatic carriers
Asymptomatic Infections - epidemiology
Biological and medical sciences
blood
Blood donation
Brazil - epidemiology
Carrier State - epidemiology
Carrier State - transmission
Disease Reservoirs
General aspects
Human protozoal diseases
Humans
Immunocompromised
immunocompromised population
Immunodeficiencies
Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies
immunologic techniques
Immunopathology
Infectious diseases
Leishmania chagasi
Leishmania infantum
Leishmania infantum - isolation & purification
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - epidemiology
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - transmission
Leshmaniasis
Medical sciences
Mediterranean Region - epidemiology
parasites
Parasitic diseases
Prevalence
Protozoal diseases
Reservoir
visceral leishmaniasis
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Summary:Human clinical cases of visceral leishmaniasis represent only the tip of the iceberg, most infections lead to an asymptomatic form. Consequences of the presence of asymptomatic carriers of Leishmania infantum were reviewed. Leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum (syn. L. chagasi) infection is a zoonotic disease present mainly in Mediterranean basin, central Asia and Brazil. Besides a limited number of human cases of clinical visceral leishmaniasis, a great number of infections remains asymptomatic. In this review, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers of L. infantum was evaluated worldwide using parasitological methods or indirect testing such as a skin test or serology. The consequences of the presence of asymptomatic carriers on parasite transmission by blood donation or the development of clinical visceral leishmaniasis in immunocompromised individuals and its possible role as reservoir are discussed.
ISSN:0001-706X
1873-6254
DOI:10.1016/j.actatropica.2011.05.012