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Leishmania spp.
LEISHMANIA SPP.
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Leishmaniasis, kala-azar, Dum-Dum fever, black fever. The causative
agents are members of the L. donovani complex, L. tropica, L. major, L. aethiopica, L. Mexicana complex,
and Braziliensis complex 1, 2 .
HOST RANGE : Humans, warm-blooded mammals including dogs, cats, and small rodents 2 .
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Transmitted by the bite of an infected female sandfly of the genus
Phlebotemus or Lutzomyia 10, 11 . The sand fly acquires the parasite from a zoonotic reservoir. Laboratory,
blood transfusion, congenital and sexual transmission are possible, and transmission by domestic or wild
mammals has also been reported 1, 12 .
COMMUNICABILITY: Communicable via sandflies as long as parasites are circulating in blood or are
present in skin lesions, although person to person infection through blood transfusion, sexual contact or
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18/7/2017 Leishmania spp. - Pathogen Safety Data Sheets
placenta (mother to child) is rare 1 . Parasites may still circulate in the blood after symptoms are no longer
apparent.
ZOONOSIS: Yes, by bite of sandfly that has fed off an infected mammalian host 1 .
DRUG RESISTANCE: Resistance against sodium antimony gluconate has been documented for all
species 4 .
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Leishmania spp. do not survive autoclaving condition of 121C for 15
minutes 17 . Their 100% lethal temperature is much lower than this (50C).
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Does not survive outside host or culture, but remains viable for 35 days in
whole blood kept at 4 C 19 .
IMMUNIZATION: None
PROPHYLAXIS: None
SOURCE/SPECIMENS: Infective stages may be present in blood, faeces, lesion exudates, and infected
arthropods 21 .
SPECIAL HAZARDS: Contact with lesion material, faeces, or blood, or receiving a bite from experimentally
or naturally infected mammals 21 .
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Lab coat. Gloves when direct skin contact with infected materials or animals is
unavoidable. Eye protection must be used where there is a known or potential risk of exposure to
splashes 23 .
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: All procedures that may produce aerosols, or involve high concentrations or large
volumes should be conducted in a biological safety cabinet (BSC). The use of needles, syringes, and other
sharp objects should be strictly limited. Additional precautions should be considered with work involving
animals or large scale activities 23 .
DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all wastes that contain or have come in contact with the infectious organism
by autoclave, chemical disinfection, gamma irradiation, or incineration before disposing 23 .
STORAGE: The infectious agent should be stored in leak-proof containers that are appropriately
labelled 23 .
Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Pathogen Safety Data Sheet are
compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy, sufficiency, or
reliability or for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information. Newly discovered hazards are
frequent and this information may not be completely up to date.
Copyright
Canada
REFERENCES:
1 Dey, A., & Singh, S. (2006). Transfusion transmitted leishmaniasis: a case report and review of
literature. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 24(3), 165-170.
2 Petersen, C. A. (2009). Leishmaniasis, an emerging disease found in companion animals in the
United States. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 24(4), 182-188.
doi:10.1053/j.tcam.2009.06.006
3 Li, Q., Zhou, Y., Yao, C., Ma, X., Wang, L., Xu, W., Wang, Z., & Qiao, Z. (2009). Apoptosis caused by
Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin in Leishmania donovani during promastigote-to-amastigote
transformation stage. Parasitology Research, 105(6), 1539-1548. doi:10.1007/s00436-009-1582-y
4 Sinha, P. K., Pandey, K., & Bhattacharya, S. K. (2005). Diagnosis & management of leishmania/HIV
co-infection. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 121(4), 407-414.
5 Murray, P. R., Baron, E. J., Jorgensen, J. H., Landry, M. L., Pfaller, M. A., & Yolken, R. H. (Eds.).
(2003). Manual of Clinical Microbiology (8th ed.). Herdon, VA, United States of America: American
Society for Microbiology.
6 Kedzierski, L. (2010). Leishmaniasis Vaccine: Where are We Today? Journal of Global Infectious
Diseases, 2(2), 177-185. doi:10.4103/0974-777X.62881
7 Rathi, S. K., Pandhi, R. K., Chopra, P., & Khanna, N. (2005). Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis: a
histopathological study. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 71(4), 250-
253.
8
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Moore, E. M., & Lockwood, D. N. (2010). Treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. Journal of Global
Infectious Diseases, 2(2), 151-158. doi:10.4103/0974-777X.62883
9 Clem, A. (2010). A current perspective on leishmaniasis. Journal of Global Infectious Diseases,
2(2), 124-126. doi:10.4103/0974-777X.62863
10 Rocha, L. S., Falqueto, A., Dos Santos, C. B., Ferreira, A. L., da Graca, G. C., Grimaldi, G.,Jr, &
Cupolillo, E. (2010). Survey of natural infection by Leishmania in sand fly species collected in
southeastern Brazil. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,
doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2010.02.005
11 Gonzalez, M., Benito, F., Garcia, L., & Iglesias, A. (2009). Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis: an
imported illness with ENT repercussions. [Leishmaniasis mucocutanea: una enfermedad importada
con repercusion en ORL] Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola, 60(4), 298-300.
doi:10.1016/j.otorri.2009.01.006
12 Quinnell, R. J., & Courtenay, O. (2009). Transmission, reservoir hosts and control of zoonotic
visceral leishmaniasis. Parasitology, 136(14), 1915-1934. doi:10.1017/S0031182009991156
13 Weiss, F., Vogenthaler, N., Franco-Paredes, C., & Parker, S. R. (2009). Leishmania tropica-induced
cutaneous and presumptive concomitant viscerotropic leishmaniasis with prolonged incubation.
Archives of Dermatology, 145(9), 1023-1026. doi:10.1001/archdermatol.2009.181
14 Dougall, A., Shilton, C., Low Choy, J., Alexander, B., & Walton, S. (2009). New reports of Australian
cutaneous leishmaniasis in Northern Australian macropods. Epidemiology and Infection, 137(10),
1516-1520. doi:10.1017/S0950268809002313
15 Christensen, H. A., Arias, J. R., de Vasquez, A. M., & de Freitas, R. A. (1982). Hosts of sandfly
vectors of Leishmania braziliensis guyanensis in the central Amazon of Brazil. The American Journal
of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 31(2), 239-242.
16 Zaghi, D., Panosian, C., Gutierrez, M. A., Gregson, A., Taylor, E., & Ochoa, M. T. (2010). New World
cutaneous leishmaniasis: Current challenges in diagnosis and parenteral treatment. Journal of the
American Academy of Dermatology, doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2009.08.045
17 Wang, X., Jobe, M., Tyler, K. M., & Steverding, D. (2008). Efficacy of common laboratory
disinfectants and heat on killing trypanosomatid parasites. Parasites & Vectors, 1(1), 35.
doi:10.1186/1756-3305-1-35
18 World Health Organization. (1993). Laboratory Biosafety Manual (2nd ed.)
19 Grogl, M., Daugirda, J. L., Hoover, D. L., Magill, A. J., & Berman, J. D. (1993). Survivability and
infectivity of viscerotropic Leishmania tropica from Operation Desert Storm participants in human
blood products maintained under blood bank conditions. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine
and Hygiene, 49(3), 308-315.
20 Goto, H., & Lindoso, J. A. (2010). Current diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous and
mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, 8(4), 419-433.
doi:10.1586/eri.10.19
21 Herwaldt, B. L. (2001). Laboratory-acquired parasitic infections from accidental exposures. Clinical
Microbiology Reviews, 14(4), 659-88, table of contents. doi:10.1128/CMR.14.3.659-688.2001
22 Human pathogens and toxins act. S.C. 2009, c. 24, Second Session, Fortieth Parliament, 57-58
Elizabeth II, 2009. (2009).
23 Public Health Agency of Canada. (2004). In Best M., Graham M. L., Leitner R., Ouellette M. and
Ugwu K. (Eds.), Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines (3rd ed.). Canada: Public Health Agency of
Canada.
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