Browsing by Author "Kaluarachchi, T.D.J."

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Diagnosing Cutaneous leishmaniasis using Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization: the Sri Lankan Perspective
    (Taylor & Francis, 2019) Kaluarachchi, T.D.J.; Weerasekera, M. M.; McBain, A. J.; Ranasinghe, S.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Yasawardene, S.; Jayanetti, N.; Wickremasinghe, R.
    Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania donovani MON-37 is becoming a major public health problem in Sri Lanka, with 100 new cases per month being reported in endemic regions. Diagnosis of CL is challenging for several reasons. Due to relative specificity and rapidity we propose Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization as a diagnostic tool for CL. The objective was to evaluate the potential of Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization as a diagnostic method for Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka. Literature on current laboratory tests used to diagnose Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka and globally was reviewed. Sri Lankan data were reviewed systematically following the PRISMA guidelines. A narrative of the results is presented. There is currently no gold standard diagnostic method for Cutaneous leishmaniasis. Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization has been previously applied to detect dermal pathologies including those involving infectious agents, and its use to detect the Leishmania parasite in human cutaneous lesions reported in small number of studies, generally with limited numbers of subjects. Advantages of FISH has been specificity, cost and ease-of-use compared to the alternatives. Based on the available literature and our current work, FISH has potential for diagnosing CL and should now be evaluated in larger cohorts in endemic regions. FISH for CL diagnosis could find application in countries such as Sri Lanka, where laboratory facilities may be limited in rural areas where the disease burden is highest.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Distinct microbiome profiles and biofilms in Leishmania donovani-driven cutaneous leishmaniasis wounds
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2021) Kaluarachchi, T.D.J.; Campbell, P.M.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Ranasinghe, S.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Yasawardene, S.; de Silva, H.; Menike, C.; Jayarathne, M.C.K.; Jayathilake, S.; Dilhari, A.; McBain, A.J .; Weerasekera, M.M.
    The endemic strain of Leishmania donovani in Sri Lanka causes cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) rather than more common visceral form. We have visualized biofilms and profiled the microbiome of lesions and unaffected skin in thirty-nine CL patients. Twenty-four lesions (61.5%) were biofilm-positive according to fluorescence in situ hybridization. Biopsies of biofilm-positive lesions were dominated by Pseudomonas, class Bacilli and Enterobacteriaceae and distinguished by significantly lower community evenness. Higher relative abundance of a class Bacilli OTU was detected in wound swabs versus contralateral skin. Wound swabs and biopsies had significantly distinct microbiome profiles and lower diversity compared to unaffected skin. Greater abundances of potentially pathogenic organisms were observed in wet ulcers, lesions with high parasite loads and large wounds. In summary, more than half of L. donovani associated CL wounds harboured biofilms and the wounds exhibited a distinct, less diverse, microbiome than unaffected skin.