Genetic markers for SSG resistance in Leishmania donovani and SSG treatment failure in visceral leishmaniasis patients of the Indian subcontinent.

Vanaerschot, Manu; Decuypere, Saskia; Downing, Tim; Imamura, Hideo; Stark, Olivia; De Doncker, Simonne; Roy, Syamal; Ostyn, Bart et al. · J Infect Dis · 2012

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The current standard to assess pentavalent antimonial (SSG) susceptibility of Leishmania is a laborious in vitro assay of which the result has little clinical value because SSG-resistant parasites are also found in SSG-cured patients. Candidate genetic markers for clinically relevant SSG-resistant parasites identified by full genome sequencing were here validated on a larger set of clinical strains. We show that 3 genomic locations suffice to specifically detect the SSG-resistant parasites found only in patients experiencing SSG treatment failure. This finding allows the development of rapid assays to monitor the emergence and spread of clinically relevant SSG-resistant Leishmania parasites.

Medical subject headings