Scholarlink

Background <p><i>Mansonella perstans</i> is a vector-borne filarial parasite widely endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, with sporadic cases in Latin America. Infection is often overlooked; treatment is not standardized, and effectiveness of common regimes is difficult to ascertain. Anti-<i>Wolbachia</i> macrofilaricidal treatment with doxycycline has been applied, but there are scant and contrasting reports about the presence of <i>Wolbachia</i> in <i>M. perstans</i> isolates from different geographical locations. Taking advantage of a network of European centres expert in traveller and migrant health, we aimed to expand the knowledge concerning the distribution of <i>Wolbachia</i> in <i>M. perstans</i> to contribute to the design of optimal treatment approaches.</p> Methods <p>We analysed 19 samples of concentrated microfilariae or whole blood from <i>M. perstans</i>-infected patients who reported having resided or travelled in one or more of 10 West African countries. <i>Wolbachia</i> was detected by PCR targeting 16S and ftsZ genes and phylogenetic analysis of <i>M. perstans</i> was performed based on COX1 gene sequencing.</p> Results <p><i>Wolbachia</i> was identified in 14/19 (74%) samples. With the possible inaccuracy deriving from potential origin of infection being identified retrospectively from routine clinical visit’s documents, this study identified <i>Wolbachia</i> in <i>M. perstans</i> from Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Guinea and Senegal for the first time to our knowledge. Furthermore, <i>Wolbachia</i> might also be present in <i>M. perstans</i> from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.</p> Conclusions <p>The retrieval of <i>Wolbachia</i>-positive and <i>Wolbachia</i>-negative <i>M. perstans</i> samples can either be explained by technical limitations or reflect the real existence of <i>Wolbachia</i>-positive and <i>Wolbachia</i>-negative <i>M. perstans</i> populations. However, this latter hypothesis was not supported by our phylogenetic analysis. Our results suggest that doxycycline could be used for the treatment of <i>M. perstans</i> infection upfront or, if possible, after ascertaining the presence of <i>Wolbachia</i> by PCR performed on concentrated microfilariae using two targets to avoid false-negative results.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Wolbachia bacteria in Mansonella perstans isolates from patients infected in different geographical areas: a pilot study from the ESCMID Study Group for Clinical Parasitology

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年3月10日

查看全文
  • Elena Pomari,
  • Denis Voronin,
  • Miriam J. Alvarez-Martinez,
  • Marta Arsuaga,
  • Emmanuel Bottieau,
  • María Pilar Luzón-García,
  • Beatrice Nickel,
  • Jose Miguel Rubio,
  • Joaquín Salas-Coronas,
  • Fernando Salvador,
  • Manuel Jesús Soriano-Pérez,
  • Elena Sulleiro,
  • Lidia Goterris,
  • Marjan Van Esbroeck,
  • Jaap J. van Hellemond,
  • Linda J. Wammes,
  • Lorenzo Zammarchi,
  • Denise Lavezzari,
  • Monica Degani,
  • Stefano Tais,
  • Jana Held,
  • Federico Gobbi,
  • Francesca Tamarozzi

摘要

Background

Mansonella perstans is a vector-borne filarial parasite widely endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, with sporadic cases in Latin America. Infection is often overlooked; treatment is not standardized, and effectiveness of common regimes is difficult to ascertain. Anti-Wolbachia macrofilaricidal treatment with doxycycline has been applied, but there are scant and contrasting reports about the presence of Wolbachia in M. perstans isolates from different geographical locations. Taking advantage of a network of European centres expert in traveller and migrant health, we aimed to expand the knowledge concerning the distribution of Wolbachia in M. perstans to contribute to the design of optimal treatment approaches.

Methods

We analysed 19 samples of concentrated microfilariae or whole blood from M. perstans-infected patients who reported having resided or travelled in one or more of 10 West African countries. Wolbachia was detected by PCR targeting 16S and ftsZ genes and phylogenetic analysis of M. perstans was performed based on COX1 gene sequencing.

Results

Wolbachia was identified in 14/19 (74%) samples. With the possible inaccuracy deriving from potential origin of infection being identified retrospectively from routine clinical visit’s documents, this study identified Wolbachia in M. perstans from Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Guinea and Senegal for the first time to our knowledge. Furthermore, Wolbachia might also be present in M. perstans from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.

Conclusions

The retrieval of Wolbachia-positive and Wolbachia-negative M. perstans samples can either be explained by technical limitations or reflect the real existence of Wolbachia-positive and Wolbachia-negative M. perstans populations. However, this latter hypothesis was not supported by our phylogenetic analysis. Our results suggest that doxycycline could be used for the treatment of M. perstans infection upfront or, if possible, after ascertaining the presence of Wolbachia by PCR performed on concentrated microfilariae using two targets to avoid false-negative results.

Graphical Abstract