Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T16:33:24.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The epidemiology and surveillance of visceral leishmaniasis in the Campania region of Italy. The value of zymodeme typing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

L. Gradoni ,
R. Pizzuti ,
L. di Martino ,
M. Gramiccia ,
R. Pempinello ,
G. B. Gaeta ,
M. Ferrara ,
S. Scotti  and
S. Altieri
L. Gradoni*
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome
R. Pizzuti
Affiliation:
Regional Epidemiology Unit, Naples
L. di Martino
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Ospedale Pausilipon, Naples;
M. Gramiccia
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome
R. Pempinello
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Ospedale Cotugno, Naples
G. B. Gaeta
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Naples
M. Ferrara
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, University of Naples
S. Scotti
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, University of Naples
S. Altieri
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Ospedale Cotugno, Naples
*
*Dr L. Gradoni, Laboratorio di Parasitologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299-00161 Roma, Italy.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Although human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a notifiable disease in Italy, there is evidence that the actual number of cases is far higher than that notified. A programme for active surveillance of VL in the 14 Italian endemic regions was launched by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. We report data collected during a 3-year period of active surveillance in Campania, a south Tyrrhenian region covering 4·5% of the Italian territory. Out of 120 clinically suspected cases referred to medical and diagnostic references centres, there were 52 confirmed VL cases (17·3/year), i.e. 10-fold more than previously notified. Most of the infection sites were in rural areas or peripheral districts of towns in hilly parts of Naples province. An epidemic cluster of 10 cases was identified in a microfocus of Caserta province. The biochemical analysis of 23 Leishmania stocks showed a zymodeme composition indicating Campania as an old and well-established focus of VL. The data obtained emphasize that the present notification system for VL in Italy is inadequate.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 111 , Issue 2 , October 1993 , pp. 297 - 306
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

References

REFERENCES

1.Gramiccia, M, Gradoni, L, Angelici, MC. Epidemiology of Mediterranean leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum: isoenzyme and kDNA analysis for the identification of parasites from man, vectors and reservoirs. In: Hart, DT, ed. Leishmaniases. The current status and new strategies for control. NATO ASI ser. A. New York: Plenum Press, 1989; 21–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Gramiccia, M, Gradoni, L, Troiani, M. HIV-Leishmania co-infections in Italy. Isoenzyme characterization of Leishmania causing visceral leishmaniasis in HIV patients. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1992; 86: 161–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Pozio, E, Gradoni, L, Gramiccia, M. La leishmaniose canine en Italie de 1910 à 1983. Ann Parasitol Hum Comp 1985; 60: 543–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Gradoni, L, Pozio, E, Gramiccia, M, Maroli, M, Bettini, S. Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy). VII. Studies on the role of the black rat, Rattus rattus, in the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1983; 77: 427–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Bettini, S, Gramiccia, M, Gradoni, L, Atzeni, MC. Leishmaniasis in Sardinia. II. Natural infection of Phlebotomus perniciosus, Newstead, 1911, by Leishmania infantum Nicolle, 1908, in the province of Cagliari. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1986; 80: 458–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Maroli, M, Gramiccia, M, Gradoni, L. Natural infection of Phlebotomus perfiliewi with Leishmania infantum in a cutaneous leishmaniasis focus of the Abruzzi region, Italy. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1987; 81: 596–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Bettini, S, Gramiccia, M, Gradoni, L, Pozio, E, Mugnai, S, Maroli, M. Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy). VIII. Human population response to leishmanin in the focus of Monte Argentario (Grosseto) and epidemiological evaluation. Ann Parasitol Hum Comp 1983; 58: 539–47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Gramiccia, M, Bettini, S, Gradoni, L et al. Leishmaniasis in Sardinia. 5. Leishmanin reaction in the human population of a focus of low endemicity of canine leishmaniasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1990; 84: 371–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Bettini, S, Maroli, M, Gradoni, L. Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy). IV. An analysis of all recorded human cases. Trans R Soc Trop Hyg 1981; 75: 338–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Cardarelli, A. Nosografia della pseudoleucemia splenica (infettiva) dei bambini. Boll R Accad Med Chir Napoli (Naples) 1890; 2: 17–44.Google Scholar
11.Pampiglione, S, Bettini, S. Bibliografia italiana delle leishmaniosi dalle origini al 1980. Ann 1st Super Sanità (Rome) 1981; 17: 11–150.Google Scholar
12.Gradoni, L, Scalone, A, Gramiccia, M. Estimation of population risk of leishmanial infections in Italy. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. Submitted.Google Scholar
13.Gradoni, L, Scalone, A, Gramiccia, M. HIV-Leishmania co-infections in Italy: serological data as an indication of the sequence of acquisition of the two infections. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1993; 87: 94–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Evans, DA. Leishmania. In: Taylor, AER, Baker, JR, eds. In vitro methods for parasite cultivation. London: Academic Press, 1987: 52–75.Google Scholar
15.di Martino, L, Pettoello Mantovani, M, Gradoni, L, Gramiccia, M, Guandalini, S. Low dosage combination of meglumine antimoniate plus allopurinol as first choice treatment of infantile visceral leishmaniasis in Italy. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1990; 84: 534–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Davidson, RN, Croft, SL, Scott, A, Maini, M, Moody, AH, Bryceson, ADM. Liposomal amphotericin B in drug-resistant visceral leishmaniasis. Lancet 1991; 337: 1061–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Maroli, M, Bettini, S. Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy): I. An investigation on phlebotomine sandflies in Grosseto Province. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1977; 71: 315–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Lysenko, AJ, Beljaev, AE. Quantitative approaches to epidemiology. In: Peters, W, Killick-Kendrick, R, eds. The leishmaniases in biology and medicine. Vol. I. Biology and epidemiology. London: Academic Press, 1987: 263–90.Google Scholar
19.Gradoni, L, Gramiccia, M, Mancianti, F, Pieri, S. Effectiveness of control measures against canine leishmaniasis in the isle of Elba, Italy. In: Hart, DT, ed. Leishmaniasis. The current status and new strategies for control. NATO ASI ser A, New York: Plenum Press, 1989; 71–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.World Health Organization. Control of the leishmaniases. Tech Rep Ser No. 793, 1990: 158.Google Scholar
21.Sokal, JE. Measurement of delayed skin-test responses. N Eng J Med 1975; 293: 501–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.Pampiglione, S, Manson-Bahr, PEC, La Placa, M, Borgatti, MA, Musumeci, S. Studies on Mediterranean leishmaniasis. 3. The leishmanin skin test in kala-azar. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1975; 69: 60–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Di Martino, L, Vajro, P, Nocerino, A, Scotti, S, Napolitano, G, Vegnente, A. Fulminant hepatitis in an Italian infant with visceral leishmaniasis. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1992; 86: 34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24.Gramiccia, M, Gradoni, L, Di Martino, L, Romano, R, Ercolini, D. Two syntopic zymodemes of Leishmania infantum cause human and canine visceral leishmaniasis in the Naples area, Italy. Acta Trop 1992; 50: 357–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Jeannel, D, Tuppin, P, Brucker, G, Danis, M, Gentilini, M. Leishmaniasis in France. Lancet 1989; ii: 804.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Scarlata, F, Infantino, D, Giordano, S, Cascio, A. Monitoraggio della leishmaniosi viscerale in Sicilia nel biennio 1990–1991. Parasitologia 1992; 34 (suppl 1): 158–9.Google Scholar
27.Pampiglione, S, La, Placa M, Schlick, G. Studies on Mediterranean leishmaniasis. I. An outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis in northern Italy. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1974; 68: 349–59.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed