Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Patients with Visceral Leishmaniasis Treated by an MSF Clinic in Bakool Region, Somalia, 2004–2006

Our paper describes the epidemiological features of visceral leishmaniasis in the Bakool region, South Central Somalia, over the years 2004 to 2006. Since 2000, Médecins Sans Frontières has been providing care for patients suffering from visceral leishmaniasis in Huddur, located in a region endemic for visceral leishmaniasis. By the end of 2005, we witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of patients admitted to the Huddur centre with visceral leishmaniasis. In our paper, we provide a description of the profile of patients admitted, thus giving an insight into the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in a part of the world where relatively little has been documented and where the true magnitude of this neglected disease remains unknown

Leishmania major-phlebotomus duboscqi interactions: inhibition of anti-LPG antibodies and characterisation of two proteins with shared epitopes

Objectives: To assess the effect of monoclonal antibodies (MABS) raised against L. major derived LPG on L. major development in vitro and in its natural vector P. duboscqi. Also determine whether LPG molecule and the sand fly the gut Iysates have sharedepitopes. Design: A laboratory based study. Setting: Colony bred P. duboscqi sand flies and all other experiments were done under laboratory conditions. Methods: Laboratory reared sand flies were allowed to feed beneath a blood filled membrane feeder containing 1 x106 amastigotes in 20µl mixed with 0.5 ml of defibrinated rabbit blood with a 1:100 dilution of anti-LPG MABS. Control blood contained a similar number of amastigotes but no MABS. At least five female previously fed sand flies were later dissected on days two, four, and six post-feeding and examined for promastigote forms and parasite loads in the sand fly mid gut. In vitro, the same number of amastigotes in 100µl complete Schneider's Drosophila medium was mixed in a 96 well plate with either 100µl of 1: 100 anti-LPG MABS, 1:1000 anti LPG MABS or undiluted sera from L. major infected mice. The control well contained a similar number of amastigotes but no antibodies added. Following an overnight incubation in a CO2 incubator at 37ºC and growth at 26ºC, parasites were assessed at 3, 6 and 24 hour intervals for changes in their developmental forms. Results: 1:100 dilution of anti-LPG MABS when mixed with amastigotes were effective in reducing L. major development at the early log phase or procyclic stage both in vitro and within the sand fly (

Comparison between precipitin and ELISA tests in the bloodmeal detection of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes fluviatilis (Lutz) mosquitoes experimentally fed on feline, canine and human hosts

The identification of arthropod bloodmeals is important in many epidemiological studies, as, the understanding of the life cycle of vectors and the patogens they transmit, as well as helping to define arthropods' control strategies. The precipitin test has been used for decades, but ELISA is slowly becoming more popular. To compare the two tests for sensitivity, specificity and accuracy to detect small insect bloodmeals, Aedes aegypti or Ae. fluviatilis mosquitoes were fed either on feline, canine or human hosts. Mosquitoes were frozen at 6, 12, 24, 48 or 72 h after feeding. Precipitin test showed better specificity and accuracy and ELISA test showed higher sensitivity. Better results with both tests were achieved when mosquitoes were frozen within 48 h from feeding