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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Research on Leishmania and Leishmaniasis: Second Edition
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Research on Leishmania and Leishmaniasis: Second Edition

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 6160

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mãrcia Dalastra Laurenti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Pathology Laboratory of Infectious Diseases (LIM50), Pathology Department, Medical School, São Paulo University, São Paulo 1246-903, São Paulo State, Brazil
Interests: immunopathology of leishmaniasis; infectious disease; immunopathology; immunity; diagnosis; treatment; leishmaniasis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Studies of Ocean, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São Vicente 11350-011, Brazil
Interests: neglected tropical diseases; parasite; bacteria; virus; fungus; oral and local treatment; formulations; dermatological cream; liposome; nanoparticles; immunity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of our 2023 Special Issue, "Research on Leishmania and Leishmaniasis".

Leishmania are flagellated kinetoplast parasites that infect phagocytic cells of the vertebrate host and the alimentary tract of sandfly vectors. Parasites that belong to the genus Leishmania cause varied devasting and often fatal diseases in humans and domestic animals worldwide depending on the parasite species and the host’s genetic and immunological background. The genus Leishmania comprises a wide range of species, and these different species have different tissue tropisms pathogenic to humans, resulting in different clinical forms of  human leishmaniasis such as visceral, cutaneous, anergic diffuse cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or atypical cutaneous disease. The need for new therapeutic strategies is urgent because no vaccine is available, and treatment options are limited due to a lack of specificity, collateral effects, and the emergence of drug resistance.

In this Special Issue of Microorganisms, we invite you to send your contributions concerning any aspects related to Leishmania and leishmaniasis. We hope that this knowledge will improve the treatment, follow-up, and cure control of patients; minimize the potential damage that this protozoosis can cause to infected individuals; and help establish public polices for the control of this neglected tropical disease.

Dr. Mãrcia Dalastra Laurenti
Dr. Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

 

Keywords

  • leishmania
  • leishmaniasis
  • drug treatment
  • vaccine
  • host-parasite interaction

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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12 pages, 7161 KB  
Article
Sand Fly Fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae): Association Between Climatic Variables and Natural Leishmania Infection in Araçatuba, Brazil
by Graziella Borges Alves, Debora Regina Romualdo da Silva, Elis Domingos Ferrari, Lilian Aparecida Colebrusco Rodas, Alex Akira Nakamura, Carolina Beatriz Baptista, Camila Pedrozo Rodrigues Furlan, Keuryn Alessandra Mira Luz Requena, Gabriele Zaine Teixeira Debortoli, Thais Rabelo Santos-Doni and Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani
Microorganisms 2026, 14(2), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020500 - 20 Feb 2026
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Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis of major public health importance. In urban areas, Lutzomyia longipalpis is the primary vector of Leishmania (L.) infantum. This study assessed the seasonality, spatiotemporal distribution, and climatic factors associated with L. longipalpis abundance in Araçatuba, São [...] Read more.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis of major public health importance. In urban areas, Lutzomyia longipalpis is the primary vector of Leishmania (L.) infantum. This study assessed the seasonality, spatiotemporal distribution, and climatic factors associated with L. longipalpis abundance in Araçatuba, São Paulo State, and detected Leishmania spp. DNA in captured females. Monthly collections were conducted from March 2023 to February 2024 in 72 households across eight urban areas using CDC-type light traps placed indoors and in peridomestic environments. A total of 1641 specimens (1516 males and 125 females) were captured, with 92.4% originating from peridomestic areas. Area 3 had the highest density (n = 671) and was the only area with PCR-positive females (n = 3). Vector activity peaked in December 2023 (n = 335). Male abundance differed significantly among peridomestic areas, particularly between Areas 3, 5, 6, and 7. In peridomestic areas, higher final temperatures increased vector abundance, whereas higher initial temperatures and humidity reduced it. Indoors, final temperature, humidity, and month were significant predictors. L. longipalpis exhibited a defined seasonal and spatial pattern influenced by climatic conditions. The detection of PCR-positive females (Area 3) highlights the epidemiological role of the vector and underscores the need for targeted interventions to control VL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Leishmania and Leishmaniasis: Second Edition)
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17 pages, 2193 KB  
Article
Crithidia fasciculata Shows Non-Pathogenic Behavior in Leishmania Co-Infection Related to Temperature Stress, In Vitro and In Vivo Infections, and Amphotericin B Susceptibility
by Julia Fernandes Barbosa dos Santos, Carolina Boucinha Martins, Valter Viana Andrade-Neto, Thais Lemos-Silva, Rosiane Freire dos Santos, Silvia Amaral Gonçalves da-Silva, Yara Maria Traub-Csekö, Rubem Figueiredo Sadok Menna-Barreto, Eduardo Caio Torres-Santos, Claudia Masini d’Avila and Vitor Ennes-Vidal
Microorganisms 2025, 13(10), 2335; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13102335 - 10 Oct 2025
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Abstract
There is increasing evidence on the occurrence of Crithidia spp. in patients presenting either cutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis, solely or associated with Leishmania. We analyzed growth, morphology, and temperature tolerance of two C. fasciculata strains, the reference strain COLPROT048 and patient isolate [...] Read more.
There is increasing evidence on the occurrence of Crithidia spp. in patients presenting either cutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis, solely or associated with Leishmania. We analyzed growth, morphology, and temperature tolerance of two C. fasciculata strains, the reference strain COLPROT048 and patient isolate COLPROT606. We also evaluated their co-cultivation with L. braziliensis, macrophage infectivity, and infections in hamsters, BALB/c mice, and sandflies. In culture, both Crithidia strains survived at 32 °C for 96 h, showing major morphological alterations and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, with ΔΨm reducing to 52% in COLPROT606. At 34 °C, the patient isolate showed an 80% reduction in cell number. Mixed cultivation of Crithidia-Leishmania led to recovery of only Crithidia. In macrophages, C. fasciculata alone was virtually eliminated, and in co-infection only Leishmania was detected. No Crithidia lesion or RNA were found in infected mice or hamsters, while L. braziliensis reached 1145–1625 parasites/mg of tissue. In sandflies, C. fasciculata successfully established infection for up to 7 days, both alone and in coinfections. Amphotericin B IC50 values at 72 h were 4- to 5-fold higher in C. fasciculata strains compared to L. braziliensis. Our results indicate that both C. fasciculata strains are unable to reproduce the pathogenic effect in vitro and in vivo models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Leishmania and Leishmaniasis: Second Edition)
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10 pages, 1135 KB  
Case Report
Visceral Leishmaniasis in a 25-Year-Old Female Kidney Transplant Recipient from a Non-Endemic Region: A Case Report from Romania
by Alin Gabriel Mihu, Mariana Patiu, Delia Monica Dima, Daniela Adriana Oatis, Cristina Mihaela Cismaru, Rodica Lighezan and Tudor Rares Olariu
Microorganisms 2025, 13(2), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13020403 - 12 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a rare parasitic infection in non-endemic regions such as Romania. We report the case of a 25-year-old female kidney transplant recipient from Cluj County, Romania, who developed persistent bicytopenia with anemia and thrombocytopenia. Despite no history of travel outside Cluj [...] Read more.
Visceral leishmaniasis is a rare parasitic infection in non-endemic regions such as Romania. We report the case of a 25-year-old female kidney transplant recipient from Cluj County, Romania, who developed persistent bicytopenia with anemia and thrombocytopenia. Despite no history of travel outside Cluj County and being the only organ recipient from the same donor to experience signs and symptoms, she was diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis. The second bone marrow aspirate performed revealed Leishmania amastigotes. She was quickly sent to Victor Babes Infectious Disease Hospital in Bucharest for additional tests and treatment. The kidney function of the patient was maintained. This case highlights the importance of considering leishmaniasis in immunosuppressed patients presenting with unexplained cytopenia, even in non-endemic regions. This is the first documented case of visceral leishmaniasis in a kidney transplant recipient in Romania. The present report could serve as a foundation for future educational programs targeted toward informing both healthcare providers and patients about the risks, diagnosis, and management of leishmaniasis in immunosuppressed individuals in non-endemic regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Leishmania and Leishmaniasis: Second Edition)
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