TY - JOUR A1 - Kuhls, Katrin A1 - Moskalenko, Olga A1 - Sukiasyan, Anna A1 - Manukyan, Dezdemonia A1 - Melik-Andreasyan, Gayane A1 - Atshemyan, Liana A1 - Apresyan, Hripsime A1 - Strelkova, Margarita V. A1 - Jaeschke, Anja A1 - Wieland, Ralf A1 - Frohme, Marcus A1 - Cortes, Sofia A1 - Keshishyan, Ara T1 - Microsatellite based molecular epidemiology of Leishmania infantum from re-emerging foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Armenia and pilot risk assessment by ecological niche modeling JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases N2 - Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. In Armenia visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is re-emerging since 1999 after a long break of 30 years, with 167 cases recorded until 2019. Molecular diagnosis of VL was implemented only in 2016, and the causative agent was identified as L. infantum. In the present study we expanded the investigation of the causative agent to a characterization at strain level and the identification of its phylogenetic position among the L. infantum genotypes circulating worldwide. This is the first study addressing genetic diversity and population structure of L. infantum in Armenia and in Transcaucasia. Armenia is an extremely interesting region due to its bio-geographic specificities e.g. the high number of different climates in this small mountainous country and the observed high diversity of sand fly species, part of which occurring in very high altitudes. Ecological niche modeling based on registered VL cases and sand fly vectors collected in active VL foci revealed that the risk of further spread of VL is very high due to climate change. Studies of this region should be expanded to enable targeted control measures. Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:526-opus4-14004 SN - 1935-2735 VL - 15 IS - 4 SP - e0009288 PB - Public Library of Science (PLoS) ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Amro, Ahmad A1 - Al-Dwibe, Hamida A1 - Gashout, Aisha A1 - Moskalenko, Olga A1 - Galafin, Marlena A1 - Hamarsheh, Omar A1 - Frohme, Marcus A1 - Jaeschke, Anja A1 - Schönian, Gabriele A1 - Kuhls, Katrin T1 - Spatiotemporal and molecular epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Libya JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases N2 - Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a skin infection caused by a single-celled parasite that is transmitted by the bite of a phlebotomine sandfly. CL is the most common form of leishmaniasis characterized by localized lesions in the skin and mucous membranes. The disease is prevalent in all countries around the Mediterranean Basin. In this paper, we describe spatiotemporal and eco-epidemiological parameters of CL in Libya. Moreover, we explored current spatiotemporal distributions of CL cases and explored the future projection of the disease. Our study indicates the presence of higher risk of CL in the coastal regions of Libya. Future projection until 2060 showed a trend of increasing incidence of CL in the north-western part of Libya, a spread along the coastal region and a possible emergence of new endemics in the north-eastern districts of Libya. These scenarios should be considered by health authorities in order to develop appropriate intervention strategies and plan effective control programs. Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:526-opus4-10054 SN - 1935-2735 VL - 11 IS - 9 ER -