ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2025
Partners in time: Cospeciation and host-switching shape the evolution of Leishmania parasites.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Vector-borne pathogens in dogs from different regions of Afghanistan.Parasites & vectors · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLeishmania is a neglected tropical parasite that may affect millions of people worldwide, causing infections that range from subclinical to life-threatening in many animal species, including humans. The four subgenera described (i.e., Leishmania, Mundinia, Sauroleishmania and Viannia) exhibit distinct biological and ecological characteristics. The genus likely originated during the Mesozoic era, with hypotheses suggesting a Palearctic, Neotropical, or Supercontinent origin. Understanding the evolutionary history of Leishmania parasites may clarify host specificity, geographic distribution, and vector associations across subgenera. METHODOLOGY AND KEY
findingsIn this study, we analyzed Leishmania evolutionary associations with vertebrate hosts as well as sand fly vectors using a combination of cophylogenetic and maximum parsimony approaches. A significant phylogenetic congruence was found between Leishmania and its vertebrate hosts using PACo (p = 0.0001, m2XY=0.5419) and ParaFit (p = 0.0034, ParaFit Global statistic = 0.012), with several host-switching and duplication events (p = 0.0298), particularly involving Leishmania-humans associations. A cospeciation event was also predicted at a higher taxonomic level, corresponding to the divergence of mammals from reptiles and the subsequent separation of the Leishmania, Viannia and Mundinia subgenera from Sauroleishmania. Similarly, significant cophylogenetic signals were observed between Leishmania and sand fly hosts using PACo (m2XY=1.3988, p = 0.0001) and ParaFit (ParaFit Global = 0.062, p = 0.0001) functions. Cospeciation events were again predicted at higher taxonomic levels in the divergence of New World and Old World sand flies, with Viannia species and Leishmania, Sauroleishmania and Mundinia species associated with the latter (p = 0.01).
conclusionsOur findings support the Supercontinent hypothesis and emphasize the relevance of the historical biogeography in Leishmania diversification. This comprehensive cophylogenetic analysis enhances our understanding of Leishmania origins and diversification, offering insights into host specificity, vector adaptation, and the long-term maintenance of its digenetic life cycle.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.