The global dispersal of visceral leishmaniasis occurred within human history

Reis-Cunha, J. L.; Grace, C. A.; Ahmed, S.; Harnqvist, S. E.; Lynch, C. M.; Boite, M. C.; Barcellos, G.; Lachaud, L.; Bastien, P.; Munt, H.; Mottram, J. C.; Cupolillo, E.; Jeffares, D. C.

doi:10.1101/2024.10.30.621037

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.10.30.621037

The global dispersal of visceral leishmaniasis occurred within human history

Reis-Cunha, J. L.·Grace, C. A.·Ahmed, S.·Harnqvist, S. E.·Lynch, C. M.·Boite, M. C.·Barcellos, G.·Lachaud, L.·Bastien, P.·Munt, H.·Mottram, J. C.·Cupolillo, E.·Jeffares, D. C.

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Abstract

The Leishmania donovani species complex (LdSC) causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL), is present in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, and causes 20-40,000 fatalities per year. Previous analyses concluded that dispersal of this species complex occurred 1-10 million years ago. Using updated methods and data, we show that a ten-thousand year old East African population dispersed globally only within the last 2,000 years, consistent with human migration, war and colonisation as driving factors.

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Reis-Cunha, J. L., Grace, C. A., Ahmed, S., Harnqvist, S. E., Lynch, C. M., Boite, M. C., Barcellos, G., Lachaud, L., Bastien, P., Munt, H., Mottram, J. C., Cupolillo, E., Jeffares, D. C.. 2024-10-31. The global dispersal of visceral leishmaniasis occurred within human history. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.30.621037

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