Editing Leishmania (section)

===Lipophosphoglycan coat===
''Leishmania'' possesses a [[lipophosphoglycan]] coat over the outside of the cell. Lipophosphoglycan is a trigger for [[TLR 2|toll-like receptor 2]], a signalling receptor involved in triggering an [[innate immune system|innate immune response]] in mammals.

The precise structure of lipophosphoglycan varies depending on the species and [[Biological life cycle|lifecycle]] stage of the parasite. The glycan component is particularly variable and different lipophosphoglycan variants can be used as a [[molecular marker]] for different lifecycle stages. [[Lectin]]s, a group of [[proteins]] which bind different glycans, are often used to detect these lipophosphoglycan variants. For example, [[peanut agglutinin]] binds a particular lipophosphoglycan found on the surface of the infective form of ''L. major''.

Lipophosphoglycan is used by the parasite to promote its survival in the host and the mechanisms by which the parasite does this center around modulating the immune response of the host. This is vital, as the ''Leishmania'' parasites live within [[macrophages]] and need to prevent the macrophages from killing them. Lipophosphoglycan has a role in resisting the [[complement system]], inhibiting the [[oxidative burst]] response, inducing an [[inflammation]] response and preventing [[Natural Killer T cell|natural killer T cells]] recognising that the macrophage is infected with the ''Leishmania'' parasite.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Type
! Pathogen
! Location
|-
| ''[[Cutaneous leishmaniasis]]'' (localised and diffuse) infections appear as obvious skin reactions.
| The most common is the ''Oriental Sore'' (caused by Old World species ''[[Leishmania major|L. major]]'', ''[[Leishmania tropica|L. tropica]]'', and ''[[Leishmania aethiopica|L. aethiopica]]'').  In the New World, the most common culprits is ''[[Leishmania mexicana|L. mexicana]]''.
| Cutaneous infections are most common in [[Afghanistan]], [[Brazil]], [[Iran]], [[Peru]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Syria]].
|-
| ''[[Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis]]'' <!-- (Espundia or Uta) --> infections start off as a reaction at the bite, and can go by [[metastasis]] into the mucous membrane and become fatal.
| ''[[Leishmania braziliensis|L. braziliensis]]''
| Mucocutaneous infections are most common in [[Bolivia]], [[Brazil]] and [[Peru]]. Mucocutaneous infections are also found in [[Karamay]], China Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
|-
| ''[[Visceral leishmaniasis]]'' infections are often recognised by fever, swelling of the liver and spleen, and [[anemia]].  They are known by many local names, of which the most common is probably ''[[kala azar]]'',<ref name=humber>[http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/D.P.Humber/akhter/dis.htm Visceral leishmniasis: The disease] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050428075129/http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/D.P.Humber/akhter/dis.htm |date=2005-04-28 }}</ref><ref name=bartleby>[http://www.bartleby.com/61/51/K0005100.html kala-azar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210143548/http://www.bartleby.com/61/51/K0005100.html |date=2009-02-10 }}. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language</ref>
| Caused exclusively by species of the ''L. donovani'' complex (''[[Leishmania donovani|L. donovani]]'', ''[[Leishmania infantum|L. infantum]]'' syn. ''L. chagasi'').<ref name=Sherris />
| Found in tropical and subtropical areas of all continents except [[Australia]], visceral infections are most common in [[Bangladesh]], [[Brazil]], [[India]], [[Nepal]], and [[Sudan]].<ref name=Sherris /> Visceral leishmaniasis also found in part of China, such as Sichuan Province, Gansu Province, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
|}