leishmania Zool. and Med.
(liːʃˈmænɪə, laɪʃ-)
Pl. -ia, -iæ, -ias.
[mod.L., f. Leishman + -ia1.]
a. Any protozoon of the genus Leishmania (family Trypanosomidæ), comprising three species which are parasitic in man (and occas. other mammals), occurring as non-flagellated Leishman–Donovan bodies, and which are transmitted by sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus, wherein they occur as flagellated individuals in the alimentary canal. b. Any flagellate of the family Trypanosomidæ when existing in a leishmanial form.
| [1903 R. Ross in Brit. Med. Jrnl. 28 Nov. 1401/2 Laveran has given the name Piroplasma donovani to these organisms; and the specific name must therefore be permanently adopted. But if, as I suppose, they are found to belong to a new genus, it would be only fair to give the name Leishmania to that genus. In that event the full name would be Leishmania donovani, Laveran.] 1914 Trop. Dis. Bull. III. 141 Large numbers of leishmania were found in the lesions. 1926, etc. [see leptomonas]. 1952 M. E. Florey Clin. Applic. Antibiotics I. viii. 247 The lesion had again broken down and leishmania were found in smears. 1961 [see leptomonad]. 1962 J. D. Smyth Introd. Animal Parasitol. v. 63 Leishmanias are unusual in living entirely within the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system. 1968 E. J. L. Soulsby Helminths, Arthropods & Protozoa Domesticated Animals 567 Endothelial and macrophage cells contain masses of leishmaniae. |
Hence leishˈmanial, leishˈmanian adjs., caused by leishmaniæ; typical of a leishmania as it occurs in man and other mammals (i.e. as a non-flagellated Leishman–Donovan body). Also leishmaˈniasis (pl. -ases) [-asis], -maniˈosis (pl. -oses) [-osis], any of several diseases, principally kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis), oriental sore (cutaneous leishmaniasis) and espundia (muco-cutaneous or American cutaneous leishmaniasis), which are caused by species of Leishmania; (dermal) ˈleishmanoid [-oid, after varioloid a. and n.], a condition occurring as a sequel to kala-azar and characterized by an eruption of whitish patches on the skin.
| 1911 Stedman Med. Dict. 470/1 Leishmaniosis, infection with a species of Leishmania. 1912 Trop. Dis. Bull. I. 363 (heading) Fourth series of haematological researches on leishmanial anaemia. 1912 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 2 Nov. 1194/2 (heading) Papers dealing with leishmaniasis. 1914 Chem. Abstr. VIII. 1466 (heading) Possibility of the excitation of leucopoiesis in Leishmanian infection in childhood. 1916 Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 22 Nov. 1635/2 (heading) Tartrate of antimony and potassium in treatment of superficial leishmaniosis. 1920 W. E. Masters Essent. Trop. Med. i. 55 (heading) The leishmaniases. 1922 U. N. Brahmachari in Indian Med. Gaz. LVII. 127/1 In view of the fact that the eruptions are due to leishmania infection whose virus has been modified by antimonial treatment, I propose to call this form of cutaneous leishmaniasis dermal leishmanoid just as small-pox modified by vaccination is called varioloid. 1942 [see leptomonad]. 1966 Wright & Symmers Systemic Path. II. xxxix. 1596/2 Cutaneous leishmaniosis (oriental or tropical sore) is caused by the protozoon, Leishmania tropica. 1967 A. C. Allen Skin (ed. 2) xiv. 541/1 The so-called post-kala-azar dermal leishmanoid is a familiar sequel of visceral leishmaniasis... The leishmanoid begins as patches of erythematous macules on the face and body. 1967 New Scientist 17 Aug. 349/2 Small rodents which are carriers of the disease leishmaniasis which causes suppurating sores in humans. 1968 E. J. L. Soulsby Helminths, Arthropods & Protozoa Domesticated Animals 565 Developmental stages of the genus [sc. Leishmania] occur in the leishmanial form in vertebrates and in the leptomonad form in the insect vector and in culture. 1968 Weinman & Ristic Infectious Blood Dis. Man & Animals I. viii. 160 These lack the physiological character possessed by the leishmanial parasites of mammals of being able to grow at temperatures of 34°–38°C. |