In this research line, scientists work in the identification and diagnosis of the Phytomonas, parasitic protozoans of plants which have devastating consequences in American tropical crops (like coffee tree, coconut palm, oil palm, cassava plot) and is the cause of serious economic and ecological losses, due to that there is not a treatment against this kind of infection and they can only be intensively treated with insecticide.
According to Professors Manuel Sánchez Moreno and Clotilde Marín Sánchez, of the Department of Parasitology of the University of Granada, “this group has isolated in Spain these parasites in tomato, mango and cherimoya crops and other surrounding plants that could act as reservoirs (such as clover and amaranth); according to the studies, these parasites are the same as the American ones, so we think that they have been introduced in our country through seeds or seedlings imported from America. We are faced with an emerging and completely unknown infection that has to be diagnosed”.
According to Manuel Sánchez, isolation of Trypanosomatids from plants in tomato, cherimoya and mango fruit “was carried out in 1994-1996 in Southeastern Spain, specifically in greenhouse and outdoor crops in the provinces of Granada and Almería. But last April, in a new sampling carried out in Western Almería, in the El Ejido-Roquetas de Mar area, we have isolated Trypanosomatids in tomato fruit again. The patology of these Trypanosomatids in tomato fruit was described in Brazil some years ago. The disease is known as «Yellow Spot», due to that the infected fruit presented yellow spots. Nowadays, the pathogenicity of these Trypanosomatids has been proved in crops like: coffee tree, coconut palm, oil palm, cassava plot, and even in ornamental plants like the Alpinia purpurata”.
From what we know, these protozoans only parasitize plants and have not been seen parasitizing animals or humans. These protozoans belong to the family of Trypanosomatidae in which parasitic protozoans of animals and humans are included; they cause serious diseases like Chagas disease, caused by T. Cruzi, which affects between 15 and 20 million people all over the world; African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping sickness), caused by T. Brucei, with more than 50 million people exposed to it and 20,000 million new cases every year; Leishmaniasis, caused by other members of this family, specifically by widely distributed species of the Leishmania genus: Mediterranean basin, India, Africa, China and South America.
“All these diseases –Professor Manuel Sánchez says—have in common that there is not an effective treatment; one of the causes for this is the danger of working with these human parasitic pathogens, which makes specialized, extremely expensive laboratories necessary. From what we know, Trypanosomatids of plants (Phytomonas) are not directly dangerous to humans and are very similar to human trypanosomatids from a methabolic point of view, what makes them an ideal biological model for the study of these diseases”.
The objective of the work-line of this group is, according tothe persons in charge of the research at the University of Granada, “besides isolating Trypanosomatids, developing techniques that permit identification and diagnosis. It appears that Molecular Biology can be the best tool to this end. We have proved that Superoxide Dismutase Enzyme (SOD) is a molecular marker that makes the diagnosis of this parasitosis possible since it has immunogenic properties. Such feature is comparable to the SOD of Trypanosomatids of interest to human health, what would allow us to have a diagnotic kit available against such diseases. Moreover, the SOD is considered a possible chemical/therapeutic dartboard; knowing the SOD of Phytomonas may be a therapeutic approach both because it treats the Phytomonas infection and because of its similarity to the rest of human Trypanosomiasis”.
Further information:
Manuel Sánchez Moreno and Clotilde Marín Sánchez. Department of Parasitology
E-mail: M. Sánchez msanchem@ugr.es / C. Marín cmaris@ugr,es
Phone number: 34-958-242369
Fax: 34-958-243174
