HETEROGENEITY AMONG ZYMODEMES OF LEISHMANIA-INFANTUM FROM HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS WITH VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN SOUTH ITALY

Eleven zymodemes of Leishmania infantum were identified among 38 paras ite stocks isolated from Italian HIV-positive patients with visceral l eishmaniasis (VL). Only one zymodeme is a common agent of Mediterranea n VL in HIV-negative individuals, five zymodemes usually cause simple, self-resolving cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), and five belong to uniqu e genotypes which have not been previously reported from either VL or CL cases in immunocompetent individuals. This last group of parasites showed reassortment patterns within electromorphs frequently observed in dermotropic L. infantum zymodemes. The highest zymodeme heterogenei ty was found in south Italy (Sicily), with six zymodemes identified am ong 12 HIV-positive patients surveyed.