Rui Zhao, Guilun He, Lin Xiang, Melinda Ji, Rongheng He, Xudong Wei
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Leishmaniasis, a protozoan disease caused by infection by Leishmania, is a critical issue in Asia, South America, East Africa, and North Africa. With 12 million cases globally, leishmaniasis is one of the most serious neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Direct identification of infected tissues is currently the primary method of diagnosis; however, the low sensitivity and inconvenience of microscopic examination in detecting amastigotes, parasitic manifestations of Leishmania, leads to the possibility of misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and underdiagnosis.
Methods: With the development of metagenomic nextgeneration sequencing (mNGS) technology for pathogen identification, it is possible to detect specific nucleic acid sequences characteristic of Leishmania parasites, which opens new avenues for the more accurate diagnosis of leishmaniasis. In this study, we report two cases of leishmaniasis from Henan Province, China, in which Leishmania parasites were identified using mNGS technology, massively expediting diagnosis and treatment.
Results: Our report demonstrates that the mNGS method is applicable to peripheral blood samples (PB), which are far more readily available in clinical settings, in addition to bone marrow aspirate samples (BM), which are traditionally used for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.
Conclusion: Our report validates the efficacy of mNGS technology as a rapid and accurate method of diagnosis for leishmaniasis.
期刊介绍:
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology is a leading specialty journal, publishing rigorously peer-reviewed research across all pathogenic microorganisms and their interaction with their hosts. Chief Editor Yousef Abu Kwaik, University of Louisville is supported by an outstanding Editorial Board of international experts. This multidisciplinary open-access journal is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, clinicians and the public worldwide.
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology includes research on bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, endosymbionts, prions and all microbial pathogens as well as the microbiota and its effect on health and disease in various hosts. The research approaches include molecular microbiology, cellular microbiology, gene regulation, proteomics, signal transduction, pathogenic evolution, genomics, structural biology, and virulence factors as well as model hosts. Areas of research to counteract infectious agents by the host include the host innate and adaptive immune responses as well as metabolic restrictions to various pathogenic microorganisms, vaccine design and development against various pathogenic microorganisms, and the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and its countermeasures.