Linking in vitro and in vivo survival of clinical Leishmania donovani strains.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Leishmania donovani is an intracellular protozoan parasite that causes a lethal systemic disease, visceral leishmaniasis (VL), and is transmitted between mammalian hosts by phlebotomine sandflies. Leishmania expertly survives in these 'hostile' environments with a unique redox system protecting against oxidative damage, and host manipulation skills suppressing oxidative outbursts of the mammalian host. Treating patients imposes an additional stress on the parasite and sodium stibogluconate (SSG) was used for over 70 years in the Indian subcontinent.

Methodology/principal findings

We evaluated whether the survival capacity of clinical L. donovani isolates varies significantly at different stages of their life cycle by comparing proliferation, oxidative stress toler

SUBMITTER: Vanaerschot M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2923181 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature