{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,16]],"date-time":"2025-09-16T16:24:33Z","timestamp":1758039873401,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757548800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Hybridization events within the genus <jats:italic>Leishmania<\/jats:italic> have been documented; however, their impact on the infection dynamics of hybrids remains poorly understood. In this study, we compared the infection dynamics caused by a hybrid parasite, <jats:italic>Leishmania<\/jats:italic> (<jats:italic>Viannia<\/jats:italic>) <jats:italic>guyanensis<\/jats:italic>\/<jats:italic>Leishmania<\/jats:italic> (<jats:italic>Viannia<\/jats:italic>) <jats:italic>shawi<\/jats:italic>, with those caused by its parental species, <jats:italic>Leishmania<\/jats:italic> (<jats:italic>Viannia<\/jats:italic>) <jats:italic>guyanensis<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Leishmania<\/jats:italic> (<jats:italic>Viannia<\/jats:italic>) <jats:italic>shawi<\/jats:italic>, in BALB\/c mice.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Balb\/c mice were inoculated with stationary-phase promastigote forms of each parasite. Lesion development and parasite load were monitored longitudinally, and cytokine production was assessed at 35 days post-infection (PI). <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The infection with the hybrid parasite induced a more rapid and evident progression, attaining its largest dimension between days 14 and 28 days PI, followed by regression. In contrast, infection with <jats:italic>L<\/jats:italic>. (<jats:italic>V<\/jats:italic>.) <jats:italic>guyanensis<\/jats:italic> resulted in a continuous increase in swelling, whereas <jats:italic>L<\/jats:italic>. (<jats:italic>V<\/jats:italic>.) <jats:italic>shawi<\/jats:italic> caused only mild swelling. Parasite loads in skin and lymph nodes were comparable across groups, though the hybrid parasite exhibited a significant increase in parasite burden from day 35 PI onwards. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The immunologic response of hybrid parasite infection was associated with reduced gamma interferon (IFN-\u03b3) and elevated interleukin 4 (IL-4) production compared to parental species and controls (P &amp;lt; 0.05), with no significant differences observed in interleukin 12 (IL-12p40) or interleukin 10 (IL-10). Infection with <jats:italic>L<\/jats:italic>. (<jats:italic>V<\/jats:italic>.) <jats:italic>guyanensis<\/jats:italic> led to decreased IFN-\u03b3 in lymph nodes and increased IL-4 production in both skin and lymph nodes, whereas <jats:italic>L<\/jats:italic>. (<jats:italic>V<\/jats:italic>.) <jats:italic>shawi<\/jats:italic> infection did not significantly alter cytokine profiles. <\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Together, these findings provide important insights into the distinct biological behavior of the <jats:italic>Leishmania<\/jats:italic> hybrid parasite and its parental species, underscoring the relevance of hybridization in shaping host-parasite interactions and advancing our understanding of leishmaniasis within complex eco-epidemiological settings.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2025.1648268","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T05:25:15Z","timestamp":1757568315000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["BALB\/c mice infection with hybrid Leishmania (V.) guyanensis\/L. 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