Scientists have identified three gene mutations associated with increased susceptibility of individuals to Leishmaniasis, a tropical disease endemic to certain parts of India, Africa and a few other countries.
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studies conducted by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tubingen, Germany, Banaras Hindu University and Foundation Congolaise pour la Recherche Medicale, Brazzaville, Congo, the scientists found that mutations in MBL-2, Ficolin-2 and IL 10 were associated with increased susceptibility to the disease. Results of the study was published in Parasitology International.
studies conducted by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tubingen, Germany, Banaras Hindu University and Foundation Congolaise pour la Recherche Medicale, Brazzaville, Congo, the scientists found that mutations in MBL-2, Ficolin-2 and IL 10 were associated with increased susceptibility to the disease. Results of the study was published in Parasitology International.
Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease and the infection is transmitted by an infective bite of a female sand fly. The Indian subcontinent, Africa and South America account for approximately 1.3 million new cases every year. Of the four clinical types of Leishmaniasis, Visceral Leishmaniasis or Kala-azar is the severest form and fatal if untreated.
About 4,00,000 new cases and 40,000 deaths are reported annually and about 90 per cent of the cases occur in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sudan, Ethiopia and Brazil. Kala-azar is considered a major health problem in Indian subcontinent with an estimated 150 million people at risk. It is endemic in Bihar, West Bengal and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Mannose-binding Lectin (MBL), a kind of protein, helps in recognising the parasite and binds to its surface during development stages. Scientists have found that the MBL serum levels were elevated in patients infected with Kala-azar.
“When we looked at patients and controls, we got statistically significant value”, said Dr. Kumaraswamy Thangaraj, Deputy Director, CCMB and one of the authors of the study. It was found that genetic mutation in MBL-2 was significantly associated with higher MBL serum levels in patients. Earlier studies implicated this mutation in malaria too.
Dr. Thangaraj said that screening of individuals for these mutations would help in taking preventive measures and minimising the risk of infections.
Dr. Anshuman Mishra, senior research associate at CCMB, said they studied Kala-azar because it was a neglected tropical disease which affected poor people. The scientists looked at various inert immunity genes and found that the mutations were making people susceptible to Leishmaniasis. This information could be used for diagnosis and genetic counselling, he added.
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