Date of Degree
5-2006
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Program
Biology
Advisor
Sara F. Kerr
Advisor
Richard S. Peigler
Advisor
Russell W. Raymond
Abstract
Polymerase chain reaction was used to screen rodents from four regions for Leishmania and to screen isolates of L. enriettii and L. hertigi using L. mexicana complex primers and L. (Viannia) primers to examine the specificity of these primers. Twenty-five rodent specimens from Bolivia, 42 from Nicaragua, 84 from New Mexico, and 74 from Texas were tested for Leishmania. Two Oryzomys acritus and two Oryzomys nitidus from Bolivia and one Neotoma micropus from Texas tested positive for Leishmania and additionally tested positive with L. mexicana complex-specific primers. Isolates of L enriettii and L hertigi reacted with L mexicana complex primers and did not react with primers specific to the subgenus Viannia. Leishmania hertigi and L. enriettii were positive and negative, respectively, using primers specific to the genus Leishmania.
Recommended Citation
Miranda, Robert Alan, "Application of Polymerase Chain Reaction to Screen Rodents from New Mexico, Texas, Bolivia, and Nicaragua for Leishmania and an Assessment of the Specificity of Primers" (2006). Theses & Dissertations. 64.
https://athenaeum.uiw.edu/uiw_etds/64