DNA identification of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis in human saliva from a patient with American cutaneous leishmaniasis

• Published in: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: FH Corvalan, RNR Sampaio, YM Brustoloni, R Andreotti, MSC Lima Júnior
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SciELO 2011
• Subjects: cutaneous leishmaniasis; saliva; Leishmania; polymerase chain reaction; non-invasive diagnosis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Toxicology. Poisons; RA1190-1270; Zoology; QL1-991; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-91992011000100013; https://doaj.org/article/4fb11ed591b84844a94abb34782da9a8

This study aims to report the amplification of the DNA of Leishmania (V.) braziliensis, using polymerase chain reaction, obtained from the saliva of a patient with American cutaneous leishmaniasis who did not present any lesion in the oral mucosa. Amplification produced fragments of 103 bp, an estimated size employing Leishmania (V.) braziliensis primers (b1 e b2). The present results revealed, for the first time, that the in vitro amplification of Leishmania DNA using samples from the salivary fluid of a patient with American cutaneous leishmaniasis is possible. However, more studies are required with a larger number of participants to evaluate the usefulness of saliva as a non-invasive sample for PCR. The development of such non-invasive technique is necessary for the diagnosis of many diseases in the future, especially infectious and parasitic ones.