Studies on leishmaniasis and its transmission in Central and South Americas

为了获得关于新世界利什曼病的信息，特别是在厄瓜多尔，从多学科的角度进行了深入的研究，包括用不同类型药物进行化疗的试验。为此，在本研究项目期间，几乎所有疑似利什曼病流行地区都由多学科专家进行了彻底调查，如流行病学家，寄生虫学家，皮肤病学家，免疫学家，分子生物学家和媒介昆虫学家。许多临床流行病学特征被公开，除了病原体和载体：亚马逊利什曼原虫（利什曼原虫），L。（L.）[医]墨西哥湖（L.）major-like，L.（Viannia）braziliensis，L.（五）圭亚那L.（五）[医]巴拿马湖（五）equatorensis和Lutzomyia ayacuchensis，Lu. gomezi，Lu. trapidoi，Lu.像太阳虫一样的哈特马尼。本研究从1998年至2000年收集了全国范围内的流行病学和临床资料，并对皮肤利什曼病患者进行了诊断和治疗。利什曼原虫分离患者，媒介和水库动物，其特征在于使用PCR技术。根据所获得的结果，已经做了一个试验，以描绘厄瓜多尔利什曼原虫属的每一种的地理分布。此外，为了获得更敏感和更特异的方法适用于现场条件下的诊断，使用不同的引物的PCR与传统使用的技术，如涂片，培养，组织病理学标本和其他进行了比较。在厄瓜多尔不同海拔地区的几个利什曼病流行地区进行了临床流行病学调查，对皮肤利什曼病和农村地区发现的其他皮肤病进行了鉴别诊断。

In order to have an information on the New World leishmaniasis, especially in Ecuador, an intensive study has been done from the multidisciplinary view points, including trials of the chemotherapy with different types of drugs. For this purpose, during the present research project terms, almost all of the suspected leishmaniasis-endemic areas were thoroughly surveyed by multidiscip linary experts, such as epidemiologists, parasitologists, dermatologists, immunologists, molecular biologists and vector entomologists. Many clinico-epidemiological features are disclosed, in addtion to causative agents and vectors : Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, L.(L.) mexicana, L.(L.) major-like, L.(Viannia) braziliensis, L.(V.) guyanensis, L.(V.) panamensis, L.(V.) equatorensis as the leishmanial parasites and Lutzomyia ayacuchensis, Lu. gomezi, Lu. trapidoi, Lu. hartmani as sundflies. In this research term from 1998 to 2000, epidemiological and clinical data were collected country-wide, and diagnosis and treatment of patients with cutaneous leishmanial lesions were also performed. Leishmania parasites isolated from patients, vectors and reservoir animals, were characterized by using PCR techniques. Based on the results obtained, a trial has been done to depict the geographical distribution of each species of the genus Leishmania in Ecuador. Furthermore, in order to get more sensitive and specific method applicable for diagnosis under field conditions, PCR using different primers was compared with traditionally-used techniques, such as smears, cultures, histopathological specimens and others. Clinico-epidemiological surveys were carried out in several leishmaniasis-endemic areas located at different altitudes of Ecuador, employing differential diagnosis between cutaneous leishmaniasis and other skin diseases found in the rural areas.