Genetic polymorphism and molecular epidemiology of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis from different hosts and geographic areas in Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Numerical zymotaxonomy and variability of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) between the small and large subunits of the rRNA genes were used to examine strain variation and relationships in natural populations of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. A total of 101 strains from distinct hosts and Brazilian geographic regions were assigned to 15 zymodemes clustered in two major genetic groups. The great number of isolates (48.5%) placed in zymodeme IOC/Z-27 were collected on the Atlantic coast. The high molecular diversity found in populations in the Amazon Basin was related to the great number of sandfly vector(s) in that region. The results of the restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the ITS depicted considerable intraspecific variation. Genotypic groups A, B, and C cont

SUBMITTER: Cupolillo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC165365 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature