Case Workbook for Human Genetics 9th Edition by Ricki Lewis

Exercise 1

Leishmaniasis is an infection that humans contract from sandflies that transmit the microorganism Leishmania braziliensis. The first sign is a skin lesion, followed by facial disfiguration. The disease is endemic (very common) in Bolivia, where it is seen more in males, younger people, and those who spend the most time in the forest. A genetic susceptibility might also influence who becomes infected, as suggested by highly susceptible strains of mice. What type of evidence in the Bolivian population, which consists of indigenous and immigrant populations, might suggest an inherited component to susceptibility of this infection?