Genes and environment in susceptibility to visceral leishmaniasis.
C R Biol
; 329(11): 863-70, 2006 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17067929
Kala azar (KA) is a lethal disease caused by Leishmania parasites (Leishmania donovani s.l.) that multiply in large numbers in deep organs such as spleen and liver. The host immunological response to these organisms is complex and experimental studies in animals have detected a large number of genetic loci involved in the control of infection and disease. We report here on a study in a human population of Sudan carried out during an outbreak of KA. The following conclusions are presented: (1) environmental factors that could have affected the distribution of the insect vector, influenced progression of KA in the initial phase of the epidemics - but they became less important later at the peak of transmission, probably after infected phlebotomies had spread to all parts of the village -; (2) Leishmania population during the epidemics was heterogeneous, suggesting a possible parasite evolution during the outbreak; (3) the incidence of KA varied markedly among age groups, families and ethnic groups. Susceptibility to KA was shown to depend on a locus on chromosomes 22q12 and on NRAMP1 on chromosome 2q35; the data also suggested a third locus in the region 2q23-q24. Overall, this study indicates complex interactions between host genes and environment in the spreading of KA in that population. It is also suspected that the large parasite diversity observed in the outbreak has contributed to disease spreading across host genetic barriers.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Meio Ambiente
/
Leishmaniose Visceral
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Animals
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
C R Biol
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2006
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Sudão