BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to describe the major evolutionary historical events among Leishmania, sandflies, and the associated animal reservoirs in detail, in accordance with the geographical evolution of the Earth, which has not been previously discussed on a large scale. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Leishmania and sandfly classification has always been a controversial matter, and the increasing number of species currently described further complicates this issue. Despite several hypotheses on the origin, evolution, and distribution of Leishmania and sandflies in the Old and New World, no consistent agreement exists regarding dissemination of the actors that play roles in leishmaniasis. For this purpose, we present here three centuries of research on sandflies and Leishmania descriptions, as well as a complete description of Leishmania and sandfly fossils and the emergence date of each Leishmania and sandfly group during different geographical periods, from 550 million years ago until now. We discuss critically the different approaches that were used for Leishmana and sandfly classification and their synonymies, proposing an updated classification for each species of Leishmania and sandfly. We update information on the current distribution and dispersion of different species of Leishmania (53), sandflies (more than 800 at genus or subgenus level), and animal reservoirs in each of the following geographical ecozones: Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropic, Afrotropical, Oriental, Malagasy, and Australian. We propose an updated list of the potential and proven sandfly vectors for each Leishmania species in the Old and New World. Finally, we address a classical question about digenetic Leishmania evolution: which was the first host, a vertebrate or an invertebrate? CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: We propose an updated view of events that have played important roles in the geographical dispersion of sandflies, in relation to both the Leishmania species they transmit and the animal reservoirs of the parasites.

• MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny 21. století MeSH
• dějiny starověku MeSH
• hmyz - vektory parazitologie   MeSH
• Leishmania klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• leishmanióza epidemiologie   dějiny   MeSH
• Psychodidae klasifikace   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• zdroje nemoci parazitologie   MeSH
• zkameněliny MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dějiny 21. století MeSH
• dějiny starověku MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• historické články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Progress in the diagnosis of leishmaniases depends on the development of effective methods and the discovery of suitable biomarkers. We propose firstly an update classification of Leishmania species and their synonymies. We demonstrate a global map highlighting the geography of known endemic Leishmania species pathogenic to humans. We summarize a complete list of techniques currently in use and discuss their advantages and limitations. The available data highlights the benefits of molecular markers in terms of their sensitivity and specificity to quantify variation from the subgeneric level to species complexes, (sub) species within complexes, and individual populations and infection foci. Each DNA-based detection method is supplied with a comprehensive description of markers and primers and proposal for a classification based on the role of each target and primer in the detection, identification and quantification of leishmaniasis infection. We outline a genome-wide map of genes informative for diagnosis that have been used for Leishmania genotyping. Furthermore, we propose a classification method based on the suitability of well-studied molecular markers for typing the 21 known Leishmania species pathogenic to humans. This can be applied to newly discovered species and to hybrid strains originating from inter-species crosses. Developing more effective and sensitive diagnostic methods and biomarkers is vital for enhancing Leishmania infection control programs.

• MeSH
• antiprotozoální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• fylogeografie MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• hmyz - vektory parazitologie   MeSH
• Leishmania klasifikace   účinky léků   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• leishmanióza klasifikace   farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• molekulární typizace přístrojové vybavení   metody   MeSH
• protozoální DNA genetika   MeSH
• protozoální proteiny genetika   MeSH
• Psychodidae parazitologie   MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH