Understanding Host Parasite Components in a Protozoan Disease Leishmaniasis With Specific Emphasis on Molecular Characterization of Parasite Species

Abstract

Epidemiology Leishmaniasis is a vector borne disease caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan of the Leishmania species. It is a metazoonotic disease where the invertebrate host is the phlebotomine female sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus in the old world and Lutzomyia in the new world (Dawit G, Girma Z et.al, 2013). It is categorised as a neglected tropical disease with the disease burden of 58,000 VL cases and 2,20,000 CL cases annually (J.Alvar, Iva´n D et.al. 2012 ). Of all the VL cases 90% occur in four countries Bangladesh, India, Sudan, and Brazil whereas 90% of all the ML cases occur in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. 90% of CL cases occur in Afghanistan, Brazil, Peru, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria (Desjeux P, World Health Organisation).