Prokaryotic and eukaryotic skin microbiota modifications triggered by < i > Leishmania < /i > infection in localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

by Jes ús Jaimes, Luz Helena Patiño, Giovanny Herrera, Claudia Cruz, Julie Pérez, Camilo A. Correa-Cárdenas, Marina Muñoz, Juan David Ramírez Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a tropical disease characterized by cutaneous ulcers, sometimes with satellite lesions and nodular lymphangitis.Leishmania parasites, transmitted by sandfly vectors, cause this widespread public health challenge affecting millions worldwide. CL ’s complexity stems from diverseLeishmania species and intricate host interactions. Therefore, this study aims to shed light on the spatial-temporal distribution ofLeishmania species and exploring the influence of skin microbiota on disease progression. We analyzed 40 samples from CL patients at three military bases across Colombia. Using Oxford Nanopore ’s Heat Shock Protein 70 sequencing, we identifiedLeishmania species and profiled microbiota in CL lesions and corresponding healthy limbs. Illumina sequencing of16S-rRNA and18S-rRNA genes helped analyze prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities. Our research uncovered a spatial-temporal overlap between regions of high CL incidence and our sampling locations, indicating the coexistence of variousLeishmania species.L.naiffi emerged as a noteworthy discovery. In addition, our study delved into the changes in skin microbiota associated with CL lesions sampled by scraping compared with healthy skin sampled by brushing of upper and lower limbs. We observed alterations in microbial diversity, both in prokaryotic ...
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research