In this work we reviewed historical and recent data on Leishmania spp. infection combining data collected in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, China and Mongolia. We specifically focused on a complex of co-existing species (Leishmania major, Leishmania turanica and Leishmania gerbilli) sharing the same animal reservoirs and vectors. In addition, we analysed the presence of dsRNA viruses in these species and discussed future research directions to identify species-specific traits, which may determine susceptibility of different Leishmania spp. to viral infection.

Department of Parasitology Faculty of Science Charles University 12844 Prague Czech Republic

Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991 Moscow Russia

Life Science Research Centre Faculty of Science University of Ostrava 71000 Ostrava Czech Republic

Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology Sechenov University 119435 Moscow Russia

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Abai MR, Oshaghi MA, Tajedin L, Rassi Y and Akhavan AA (2010) Geographical distribution and ecological features of the great gerbil subspecies in the main zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis foci in Iran. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 3, 800–803.

Akhavan A, Yaghoobi-Ershadi M, Mirhendi H, Alimohammadian M, Rassi Y, Shareghi N, Jafari R, Arandian M, Abdoli H, Ghanei M, Jalali-Zand N and Khamesipour A (2010 PubMed PMC

Akhavan AA, Mirhendi H, Khamesipour A, Alimohammadian MH, Rassi Y, Bates P, Kamhawi S, Valenzuela JG, Arandian MH, Abdoli H, Jalali-zand N, Jafari R, Shareghi N, Ghanei M and Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR (2010 PubMed PMC

Akhavan AA, Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Khamesipour A, Mirhendi H, Alimohammadian MH, Rassi Y, Arandian MH, Jafari R, Abdoli H, Shareghi N, Ghanei M and Jalali-zand N (2010 PubMed

Akhoundi M, Mohebali M, Asadi M, Mahmodi MR, Amraei K and Mirzaei A (2013) Molecular characterization of PubMed

Akilov OE, Khachemoune A and Hasan T (2007) Clinical manifestations and classification of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis. International Journal of Dermatology 46, 132–142. PubMed

Alborzi A, Pouladfar GR, Fakhar M, Motazedian MH, Hatam GR and Kadivar MR (2008) Isolation of PubMed

Alvar J, Velez ID, Bern C, Herrero M, Desjeux P, Cano J, Jannin J and den Boer M (2012) Leishmaniasis worldwide and global estimates of its incidence. PLoS ONE 7, e35671. PubMed PMC

Asl FG, Mohebali M, Jafari R, Akhavan AA, Shirzadi MR, Zarei Z, Fadaei R, Ramezanpour J, Hassanpour G, Izadi S, Hajjaran H and Elikaee S (2022) PubMed

Atayde VD, da Silva Lira Filho A, Chaparro V, Zimmermann A, Martel C, Jaramillo M and Olivier M (2019) Exploitation of the PubMed

Azizi K, Fakoorziba MR, Jalali M and Moemenbellah-Fard MD (2012) First molecular detection of PubMed

Bakhshi H, Oshaghi MA, Abai MR, Rassi Y, Akhavan AA, Sheikh Z, Mohtarami F, Saidi Z, Mirzajani H and Anjomruz M (2013) Molecular detection of PubMed

Ben-Shimol S, Sagi O, Horev A, Avni YS, Ziv M and Riesenberg K (2016) Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by PubMed

Bordbar A and Parvizi P (2014 PubMed

Bordbar A and Parvizi P (2014 PubMed

Borovsky PF (1898) On sart sore. Russian Military Medical Journal, CXCV, CXCV(11), 925–941 (in Russian).

Bray RS, Ashford RW and Bray MA (1973) The parasite causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ethiopia. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 67, 345–348. PubMed

Bruschi F and Gradoni L (2018) The Leishmaniases: Old Neglected Tropical Diseases. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

Cantanhêde LM, Mata-Somarribas C, Chourabi K, Pereira da Silva G, Dias das Chagas B, de Oliveira RPL, Cortes Boite M and Cupolillo E (2021) The maze pathway of coevolution: a critical review over the PubMed PMC

Chajbullinova A, Votýpka J, Sádlová J, Kvapilová K, Seblová V, Kreisinger J, Jirků M, Sanjoba C, Gantuya S, Matsumoto Y and Volf P (2012) The development of PubMed PMC

Charyyeva A, Çetinkaya U, Özkan B, Şahin S, Yaprak N, Şahin I, Yurchenko V and Kostygov AY (2021) Genetic diversity of PubMed

Cunningham DD (1885) On the presence of peculiar parasitic organisms in the tissue of a specimen of Delhi boil. Scientific Memoirs by Medical Officers of the Army of India 1, 21.

Darvishi M, Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Shahbazi F, Akhavan AA, Jafari R, Soleimani H, Yaghoobi-Ershadi N, Khajeian M, Darabi H and Arandian MH (2015) Epidemiological study on sand flies in an endemic focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis, Bushehr city, southwestern Iran. Frontiers in Public Health 3, 14. PubMed PMC

Donovan C (1903) A possible cause of kala-azar. Indian Medical Gazette 38, 478. PubMed PMC

Dubrovsky YA (1978) Gerbils and Natural Foci of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Moscow: Nauka; (in Russian).

Elfari M, Schnur LF, Strelkova MV, Eisenberger CL, Jacobson RL, Greenblatt CL, Presber W and Schönian G (2005) Genetic and biological diversity among populations of PubMed

Eliseev LN and Kellina OI (1963) Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Afghanistan. Meditsinskaia Parazitologiia 32, 728–735 (in Russian). PubMed

Eliseev LN and Neronov VM (1997) Landscape-ecological analysis of distribution of

Eliseev LN, Strelkova MV and Passova OM (1980) Interrelationship characteristics of PubMed

Eliseev LN, Strelkova MV and Zherikhina II (1991) The characteristics of the epidemic activation of a natural focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in places with a sympatric dissemination of PubMed

El-Sayed NM, Myler PJ, Blandin G, Berriman M, Crabtree J, Aggarwal G, Caler E, Renauld H, Worthey EA, Hertz-Fowler C, Ghedin E, Peacock C, Bartholomeu DC, Haas BJ, Tran AN, Wortman JR, Alsmark UC, Angiuoli S, Anupama A, Badger J, Bringaud F, Cadag E, Carlton JM, Cerqueira GC, Creasy T, Delcher AL, Djikeng A, Embley TM, Hauser C, Ivens AC, Kummerfeld SK, Pereira-Leal JB, Nilsson D, Peterson J, Salzberg SL, Shallom J, Silva JC, Sundaram J, Westenberger S, White O, Melville SE, Donelson JE, Andersson B, Stuart KD and Hall N (2005) Comparative genomics of trypanosomatid parasitic protozoa. Science 309, 404–409. PubMed

Farrokhi-Karibozorg M, Ghayour-Najafabadi Z, Hejazi SH, Ataei-Pirkooh A, Mohebali M, Teimouri P and Hajjaran H (2022) Molecular identification of PubMed

Ghatee MA, Taylor WR and Karamian M (2020) The geographical distribution of cutaneous leishmaniasis causative agents in Iran and its neighboring countries, a review. Frontiers in Public Health 8, 11. PubMed PMC

Ghawar W, Toumi A, Snoussi MA, Chlif S, Zaatour A, Boukthir A, Hamida NB, Chemkhi J, Diouani MF and Ben-Salah A (2011) PubMed PMC

Grybchuk D, Kostygov AY, Macedo DH, d'Avila-Levy CM and Yurchenko V (2018 PubMed PMC

Grybchuk D, Kostygov AY, Macedo DH, Votýpka J, Lukeš J and Yurchenko V (2018 PubMed PMC

Guan LR, Yang YQ, Qu JQ and Shen WX (1995) Discovery and study of PubMed PMC

Guan LR, Yang YQ, Qu JQ, Ren HY and Chai JJ (2013) Discovery and study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Karamay of Xinjiang, West China. Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2, 20. PubMed PMC

Hajjaran H, Mohebali M, Alimoradi S, Abaei MR and Edrissian GH (2009). Isolation and characterization of pathogenic PubMed

Hajjaran H, Mohebali M, Abaei MR, Oshaghi MA, Zarei Z, Charehdar S, Mirjalali H, Sharifdini M and Teimouri A (2013) Natural infection and phylogenetic classification of PubMed

Hajjaran H, Mahdi M, Mohebali M, Samimi-Rad K, Ataei-Pirkooh A, Kazemi-Rad E, Naddaf SR and Raoofian R (2016) Detection and molecular identification of PubMed

Hoare CA (1938) Early discoveries regarding the parasite of oriental sore (with an English translation of the memoir by P. F. Borovsky: ‘On Sart sore’, 1898). Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 32, 67–92.

Ivens AC, Peacock CS, Worthey EA, Murphy L, Aggarwal G, Berriman M, Sisk E, Rajandream MA, Adlem E, Aert R, Anupama A, Apostolou Z, Attipoe P, Bason N, Bauser C, Beck A, Beverley SM, Bianchettin G, Borzym K, Bothe G, Bruschi CV, Collins M, Cadag E, Ciarloni L, Clayton C, Coulson RM, Cronin A, Cruz AK, Davies RM, De Gaudenzi J, Dobson DE, Duesterhoeft A, Fazelina G, Fosker N, Frasch AC, Fraser A, Fuchs M, Gabel C, Goble A, Goffeau A, Harris D, Hertz-Fowler C, Hilbert H, Horn D, Huang Y, Klages S, Knights A, Kube M, Larke N, Litvin L, Lord A, Louie T, Marra M, Masuy D, Matthews K, Michaeli S, Mottram JC, Muller-Auer S, Munden H, Nelson S, Norbertczak H, Oliver K, O'Neil S, Pentony M, Pohl TM, Price C, Purnelle B, Quail MA, Rabbinowitsch E, Reinhardt R, Rieger M, Rinta J, Robben J, Robertson L, Ruiz JC, Rutter S, Saunders D, Schafer M, Schein J, Schwartz DC, Seeger K, Seyler A, Sharp S, Shin H, Sivam D, Squares R, Squares S, Tosato V, Vogt C, Volckaert G, Wambutt R, Warren T, Wedler H, Woodward J, Zhou S, Zimmermann W, Smith DF, Blackwell JM, Stuart KD, Barrell B and Myler PJ (2005) The genome of the kinetoplastid parasite, PubMed PMC

Ives A, Ronet C, Prevel F, Ruzzante G, Fuertes-Marraco S, Schutz F, Zangger H, Revaz-Breton M, Lye LF, Hickerson SM, Beverley SM, Acha-Orbea H, Launois P, Fasel N and Masina S (2011) PubMed PMC

Kellina OI (1965) A comparative study of the virulence of PubMed

Kellina OI, Passova OM and Alekseev AN (1981) Experimental proof of the heterogeneous composition of natural PubMed

Killick-Kendrick R (1990) Phlebotomine vectors of the leishmaniases: a review. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 4, 1–24. PubMed

Kleschenko Y, Grybchuk D, Matveeva NS, Macedo DH, Ponirovsky EN, Lukashev AN and Yurchenko V (2019) Molecular characterization of PubMed PMC

Kostygov AY, Grybchuk D, Kleschenko Y, Chistyakov DS, Lukashev AN, Gerasimov ES and Yurchenko V (2021 PubMed PMC

Kostygov AY, Karnkowska A, Votýpka J, Tashyreva D, Maciszewski K, Yurchenko V and Lukeš J (2021 PubMed PMC

Kozevnikov PV (1963) Two nosological forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 12, 719–724. PubMed

Kurt O, Mansur N, Çavuş I, Özcan O, Batir MB, Gündüz C, Sezerman OU and Özbilgın A (2019) First report and PubMed

Latyshev NI and Krukova AP (1941) On the epidemiology of the cutaneous leishmaniasis. The cutaneous leishmaniasis as zoonotic disease of wild rodents in Turkmenia. In

Lavrova MI, Kellina OI, Passova OM and Shuikina EE (1973) Some mechanisms of distribution of highly virulent strains of PubMed

Leishman WB (1903) On the possibility of the occurrence of trypanosomiasis in India. British Medical Journal 1, 1252–1254. PubMed

Lühe M (1906) Die im Blute schmarotzenden Protozoen und ihre nächsten Verwandten. In Mense CA (ed). Handbuch der Tropenkrankheiten, Leipzig: J. A. Barth, Vol. 3. pp. 69–268.

Lukeš J, Mauricio IL, Schönian G, Dujardin JC, Soteriadou K, Dedet JP, Kuhls K, Tintaya KW, Jirků M, Chocholová E, Haralambous C, Pratlong F, Oborník M, Horák A, Ayala FJ and Miles MA (2007) Evolutionary and geographical history of the PubMed PMC

Lukeš J, Butenko A, Hashimi H, Maslov DA, Votýpka J and Yurchenko V (2018) Trypanosomatids are much more than just trypanosomes: clues from the expanded family tree. Trends in Parasitology 34, 466–480. PubMed

Lysenko AJ and Beljaev AE (1987) Quantitative approaches to epidemiology. In Peters W and Killick-Kendrick R (eds), The Leishmaniases in Biology and Medicine, Vol. 1. Biology and Epidemiology. London: Academic Press, pp. 263–290.

Mann S, Frasca K, Scherrer S, Henao-Martinez AF, Newman S, Ramanan P and Suarez JA (2021) A review of leishmaniasis: current knowledge and future directions. Current Tropical Medicine Reports 8, 121–132. PubMed PMC

Maroli M, Feliciangeli MD, Bichaud L, Charrel RN and Gradoni L (2013) Phlebotomine sandflies and the spreading of leishmaniases and other diseases of public health concern. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 27, 123–147. PubMed

Mirzaei A, Rouhani S, Taherkhani H, Farahmand M, Kazemi B, Hedayati M, Baghaei A, Davari B and Parvizi P (2011) Isolation and detection of PubMed

Mirzaei A, Schweynoch C, Rouhani S, Parvizi P and Schönian G (2014) Diversity of PubMed

Mohebali M, Javadian E, Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Akhavan AA, Hajjaran H and Abaei MR (2004) Characterization of PubMed

Moin-Vaziri V, Zare F, Seyyed Tabaei SJ, Saberi R and Hajjaran H (2022) Successful isolation of PubMed PMC

Molyneux DH (1974) Virus-like particles in PubMed

Nalçacı M, Karakuş M, Yilmaz B, Demir S, Özbilgin A, Özbel Y and Töz S (2019) Detection of PubMed

Neronov VM and Farang-Azad A (1973) Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran, its reservoirs and vectors (a review of the literature). Meditsinskaia Parazitologiia 42, 666–674 (in Russian). PubMed

Neronov VM, Strelkova MV, Shurkhal AA, Luschekina AA and Artemyev MM (1987) Natural focality of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Mongolian People's Republic; results and objectives of integrated research. Folia Parasitologica 34, 1–9. PubMed

Olivier M and Zamboni DS (2020) PubMed

Pace D (2014) Leishmaniasis. The Journal of Infection 69, S10–S18. PubMed

Parvizi P and Ready PD (2008) Nested PCRs and sequencing of nuclear ITS-rDNA fragments detect three PubMed

Parvizi P, Moradi G, Akbari G, Farahmand M, Ready PD, Piazak N, Assmar M and Amirkhani A (2008) PCR detection and sequencing of parasite ITS-rDNA gene from reservoirs host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in central Iran. Parasitology Research 103, 1273–1278. PubMed

Peacock CS, Seeger K, Harris D, Murphy L, Ruiz JC, Quail MA, Peters N, Adlem E, Tivey A, Aslett M, Kerhornou A, Ivens A, Fraser A, Rajandream MA, Carver T, Norbertczak H, Chillingworth T, Hance Z, Jagels K, Moule S, Ormond D, Rutter S, Squares R, Whitehead S, Rabbinowitsch E, Arrowsmith C, White B, Thurston S, Bringaud F, Baldauf SL, Faulconbridge A, Jeffares D, Depledge DP, Oyola SO, Hilley JD, Brito LO, Tosi LR, Barrell B, Cruz AK, Mottram JC, Smith DF and Berriman M (2007) Comparative genomic analysis of three PubMed PMC

Rafizadeh S, Saraei M, Abaei MR, Oshaghi MA, Mohebali M, Peymani A, Naserpour-Farivar T, Bakhshi H and Rassi Y (2016) Molecular detection of PubMed PMC

Rassi Y, Jalati M, Javadian E and Moatazadian MH (2001) Confirmation of

Saberi R, Fakhar M, Hajjaran H, Ataei-Pirkooh A, Mohebali M, Taghipour N, Ziaei Hezarjaribi H, Moghadam Y and Bagheri A (2020) Presence and diversity of PubMed

Saberi R, Fakhar M, Hajjaran H, Abbaszadeh Afshar MJ, Mohebali M, Hezarjaribi HZ, Moghadam Y and Sharbatkhori M (2022) PubMed

Saura A, Zakharova A, Klocek D, Gerasimov ES, Butenko A, Macedo DH, Servienė E, Zagirova D, Meshcheryakova A, Rogozin IB, Serva S, Kostygov AY and Yurchenko V (2022) Elimination of LRVs elicits different responses in PubMed PMC

Scheffter SM, Ro YT, Chung IK and Patterson JL (1995) The complete sequence of PubMed

Schnur LF (1987) On the clinical manifestations and parasites of Old World leishmaniasis and

Sharbatkhori M, Spotin A, Taherkhani H, Roshanghalb M and Parvizi P (2014) Molecular variation in PubMed

Shishliaeva-Matova ZS, Ni G and Zviagintseva TV (1966) Pathogenicity of leptomonad strains isolated from sandflies in natural foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Uzbekistan. Meditsinskaia Parazitologiia 35, 266–270 (in Russian). PubMed

Shurkhal AV, Strelkova MV, Passova OM, Rakitskaia TA and Podogas AV (1985) Genetic characteristics of PubMed

Strelkova MV (1990) The isoenzyme identification and pathogenic characteristics of clones of PubMed

Strelkova MV (1991) Susceptibility to and the characteristics of the course of experimental leishmaniasis in different species of mammals infected with PubMed

Strelkova MV (1996) Progress in studies on central Asian foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis: a review. Folia Parasitologica 43, 1–6. PubMed

Strelkova MV, Eliseev LN, Passova OM and Valevich TA (1980) Characteristics of the relationship between gerbils and PubMed

Strelkova MV, Shurkhal AV, Eliseev LN, Kellina OI, Rakitskaia TA, Zviagintseva TV, Peters U and Evans D (1990 PubMed

Strelkova MV, Shurkhal AV, Kellina OI, Eliseev LN, Evans DA, Peters W, Chapman CJ, Le Blancq SM and van Eys GJ (1990 PubMed

Strelkova MV, Eliseev LN, Ponirovskii EN, Erokhin PI, Rakitskaia TA, Valevich TA, Sysoev VV, Allenov VA, Adamishina TA and Dergacheva TI (1993) The isoenzyme identification of PubMed

Strelkova MV, Eliseev LN, Ponirovsky EN, Dergacheva TI, Annacharyeva DK, Erokhin PI and Evans DA (2001) Mixed leishmanial infections in PubMed

Strelkova MV, Shendrik AG, El Fari M and Schönian G (2003) Ecology and the genetic structure of sympatric PubMed

Strelkova MV, Ponirovsky EN, Morozov EN, Zhirenkina EN, Razakov SA, Kovalenko DA, Schnur LF and Schönian G (2015) A narrative review of visceral leishmaniasis in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the Crimean Peninsula and Southern Russia. Parasites & Vectors 8, 330. PubMed PMC

Stuart KD, Weeks R, Guilbride L and Myler PJ (1992) Molecular organization of PubMed PMC

Tarr PI, Aline RF Jr., Smiley BL, Scholler J, Keithly J and Stuart K (1988) LR1: a candidate RNA virus of PubMed PMC

Torres-Guerrero E, Quintanilla-Cedillo MR, Ruiz-Esmenjaud J and Arenas R (2017) Leishmaniasis: a review. F1000Research 6, 750. PubMed PMC

Wang J, Qu J and Guan L (1964) A study of

Wang JY, Gao CH, Yang YT, Chen HT, Zhu XH, Lv S, Chen SB, Tong SX, Steinmann P, Ziegelbauer K and Zhou XN (2010) An outbreak of the desert sub-type of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in Jiashi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. Parasitology International 59, 331–337. PubMed

Warren WC, Akopyants NS, Dobson DE, Hertz-Fowler C, Lye LF, Myler PJ, Ramasamy G, Shanmugasundram A, Silva-Franco F, Steinbiss S, Tomlinson C, Wilson RK and Beverley SM (2021) Genome assemblies across the diverse evolutionary spectrum of PubMed PMC

WHO (2022) Leishmaniasis. Available at https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/leishmaniasis (Accessed 11.11.2022).

Widmer G and Dooley S (1995) Phylogenetic analysis of PubMed PMC

Wright JH (1903) Protozoa in a case of tropical ulcer (‘Delhi sore’). The Journal of Medical Research 10, 472–482. PubMed PMC

Yaghoobi-Ershadi M (2012) Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Iran and their role on PubMed PMC

Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Akhavan AA and Mohebali M (1996) PubMed

Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Shahbazi F, Darvishi M, Akhavan AA, Jafari R, Khajeian M, Rassi Y, Soleimani H, Shirzadi MR, Hanafi-Bojd AA, Darabi H, Arandian MH, Sanei-Dehkordi A and Heidari M (2013) Molecular epidemiological study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the focus of Bushehr city, southwestern Iran. Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases 7, 113–121. PubMed PMC

Yakimov WL and Schokhor NI (1914) Réserches sur les maladies tropicales humaines et animales au Turkestan – II. La leishmaniose cutanée spontanée du chien au Turkestan. Bulletin de la Societe de Pathologie Exotique 7, 186–187.

Zakharova A, Albanaz ATS, Opperdoes FR, Škodová-Sveráková I, Zagirova D, Saura A, Chmelová L, Gerasimov ES, Leštinová T, Bečvář T, Sádlová J, Volf P, Lukeš J, Horváth A, Butenko A and Yurchenko V (2022) PubMed PMC

Zhang WW, Ramasamy G, McCall LI, Haydock A, Ranasinghe S, Abeygunasekara P, Sirimanna G, Wickremasinghe R, Myler P and Matlashewski G (2014) Genetic analysis of PubMed PMC

Zhang JR, Guo XG, Chen H, Liu JL, Gong X, Chen DL and Chen JP (2019) Pathogenic PubMed PMC

Zijlstra EE (2016) The immunology of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). Parasites & Vectors 9, 464. PubMed PMC

Phlebotomine sand fly (Diptera: Phlebotominae) diversity in the foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Surxondaryo Region of Uzbekistan: 50 years on

Evolution of RNA viruses in trypanosomatids: new insights from the analysis of Sauroleishmania

First report of putative Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) in Leishmania infantum strains from canine and human visceral leishmaniasis cases in the southeast of Brazil

Infectiousness of Asymptomatic Meriones shawi, Reservoir Host of Leishmania major

Genomic analysis of Leishmania turanica strains from different regions of Central Asia