Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni: occurrence of intracellular promastigote forms in vivo and in vitro

• Main Authors: José R Corrêa, Maurilio J Soares
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2006-12-01
• Series: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
• Subjects: Leishmania; lesion; macrophage; ultrastructure
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762006000800016

Experimental chronic (45-day-old) skin lesion in hamster hind foot induced by Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni infection showed the presence of promastigote forms in the tissue, inside parasitophorous vacuoles, as assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Experimental in vitro interaction (24 and 48 h) between Leishmania (V.)lainsoni and J774-G8 macrophage cells also demonstrated the same profile. This morphological aspect is unusual, since in this parasite genus only amastigote forms have been described as the resistant and obligate intracellular forms.