@article{fdi:010089794,
  title = {{M}olecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics of {L}eishmania parasites},
  author = {{B}anuls, {A}nne-{L}aure and {H}ide, {M}. and {T}ibayrenc, {M}ichel},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n order to illustrate the relevance of the concepts and methods of evolutionary genetics in the understanding of the epidemiology of pathogenic agents, we develop in this paper the case of the {L}eishmania, a genus of parasitic protozoa. {A}n extensive study of various natural populations of {L}eishmania in different countries ({O}ld and {N}ew {W}orld) was carried out by using {M}ultilocus {E}nzyme {E}lectrophoresis ({MLEE}) and {R}andom {A}mplified {P}olymorphic {DNA} fingerprinting ({RAPD}) as genetic markers. {T}he data have been interpreted in evolutionary genetic terms. {T}he main benefit of this approach has been to better define the concept of species in the genus {L}eishmania, on rigorous phylogenetic bases. {A}s a matter of fact, a sound taxonomical background is a prerequisite for any epidemiological approach. {S}ince the biological concept of species is difficult or impossible to apply for most pathogenic microorganisms, we recommend relying on criteria of both phylogenetic discreteness and of epidemiological/medical relevance to describe new species of {L}eishmania. {T}hrough this approach, for example, we have shown that the species status of {L}. ({V}.) peruviana can be supported. {O}n the contrary, we have been unable to clearly distinguish {L}. ({V}.) panamensis from {L}. ({V}.) guyanensis with genetic tools. {A}dditionally, we have shown that the epidemiological inferences based on a limited set of genetic markers can be misleading. {A}s a matter of fact, we have demonstrated that a collection of {L}. ({L}.) infantum stocks identified as zymodeme `{MON} 1' by other authors present additional genetic heterogeneity and do not correspond to a distinct `{D}iscrete {T}yping {U}nit' {DTU}, and are actually polyphyletic. {L}astly, in the samples that were conveniently designed, we have confirmed that {L}eishmania parasites have a basically clonal population structure. {A}s the clonal model specifies it, occasional bouts of genetic exchange remain nevertheless possible. {T}elling comparisons are drawn with the evolutionary genetics of other pathogens {T}rypanosoma cruzi and {T}rypanosoma congolense.},
  keywords = {{PEROU} ; {BOLIVIE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{I}nternational {J}ournal for {P}arasitology},
  volume = {29},
  numero = {8},
  pages = {1137--1147},
  ISSN = {0020-7519},
  year = {1999},
  DOI = {10.1016/{S}0020-7519(99)00083-1 },
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010089794},
}