Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New type of Leishmania linked to illness in Thai man and found in cats
By Sukmee, Theerayudh et al.·Published in International journal for parasitology·2008·Bureau of Epidemiology Ministry of Public Health·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A suspected new species of Leishmania, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in a Thai patient.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Researchers have identified a possible new type of Leishmania, which is a parasite that causes visceral leishmaniasis, in a man from Southern Thailand. This case is notable because it's the third reported instance of this disease occurring in people living in that area. Tests showed that this new species is different from other known types of Leishmania. Additionally, antibodies indicating exposure to Leishmania were found in nine domestic cats, suggesting that they may also be affected. Given the rising concern about this disease, experts recommend conducting a large-scale study to better understand its spread and impact on public health in Thailand.
Abstract
A suspected new species of Leishmania is described as the causative agent of the third reported case of autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis in a Thai man living in Southern Thailand. The results of PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 of ssrRNA and the mini-exon genes were different from those of previously reported Leishmania species. A direct agglutination test (DAT) revealed that antibody against Leishmania infection was detected in nine domestic cats. No potential vectors could be identified. A large-scale epidemiological survey of leishmaniasis should be urgently conducted since visceral leishmaniasis is considered an emerging disease of public health concern in Thailand.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18262531/