Leishmania sp. AIIMS/LM/SS/PKDL/LD-974 Genome sequencing and assembly

PKDL is a well-known sequal of VL. However it is still unclear what factor mediate the shifting of the parasites from visceral to dermal site. Also it is not fully understood whether the parasite in PKDL lessions is actually the same as VL or new strains are re injected by sandfly (Singh et.,al. 2011). Our group has been of the opinion that PKDL disease manifestation is a result of in-vivo generation of quasi-species either as in-vivo hybridization of various circulating and latent populations of the causative species within the host cells or due to external reinfection. We, and other scientists, have recently demonstrated that strains of Leishmania that cause VL differ genetically from those that cause PKDL. Therefore study was designed to differentiate the PKDL strains from VL strains by using in-depth analysis of whole genome of clinically isolated PKDL specific strain