Amplicon-based next-generation sequencing reveals the co-existence of multiple Leishmania species in patients with visceral leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a mammalian protozoal disease propagated in the Americas by female phlebotomine sandflies, mainly caused by Leishmania infantum. However, in recent years, cases of VL caused by different Leishmania species, such as L. amazonensis and L. colombiensis, have been reported in the continent. This study used an amplicon-based next-generation sequencing approach to identify VL aetiologic species using high-depth sequencing targeting a region on the Heat Shock Protein 70 gene. In this first approach, six samples from five patients diagnosed with VL were selected and analysed to identify DNA of Leishmania spp. All samples harboured DNA of L. infantum; five samples were found to be co-infected with other Leishmania spp. or with Trypanosoma cruzi, and just one sample was mono-infected with L. infantum. This study demonstrates the usefulness of this methodology to identify trypanosomatid coinfections in clinical samples, which presents an interesting study panorama considering their biological, clinical and epidemiological implications. (C) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases.

Automated summary

This study used amplicon-based next-generation sequencing to identify visceral leishmaniasis (VL) aetiologic species in clinical samples. The results revealed co-infections of different Leishmania species in VL patients, highlighting the importance of understanding the biological, clinical, and epidemiological implications. The methodology used in this study demonstrates its potential usefulness in detecting trypanosomatid coinfections.