Cutaneous leishmaniasis

Stage-specific, strain-specific, and cross-reactive antigens of Leishmania species identified by monoclonal antibodies

“…research may be approached by using these and other monoclonal antibodies (10): the question of the taxonomy of the Leishmania spp. and the inability to distinguish at primary isolation between relatively innocuous species and species that cause severe disease in man, the problem of parasite differentiation from the flagellate in the vector to the obligatory intracellular form living in the macrophage, and finally the identification and characterization of parasite antigens displayed on Leishmania spp.infected macrophages (1,3,4). The use of monoclonal antibodies should allow the study of the origin and the location of the Leishmania spp.…”

Is There Any Difference in the In Situ Immune Response in Active Localized Cutaneous Leishmaniasis That Respond Well or Poorly to Meglumine Antimoniate Treatment or Spontaneously Heal?

“…The need for macrophage activation to eliminate Leishmania spp. has already been demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo infection models [65,66], and the inability of these cells to eliminate infection has been pointed out as one of the factors involved in the clinical evolution of diffuse CL [67]. Patients with diffuse CL present a failure of the immune response, being unable to mount a necessary type 1 response; therefore, there is no adequate infection control resulting in chronic lesions and an inability to respond to treatment [68].…”

Successful Treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Using Systemic Interferon-Gamma

“…Because of this site of infection we also did not apply local treatments such as cryosurgery [6]. Treatment with daily subcutaneous administration with IFN-y resulted in complete healing of the ulcerative lesion which commenced rapidly and pro ceeded faster than could be expected in a self-limited course of disease [3]. We continued the therapy for 28 days in accordance with other protocols [l 5, 16, 20, 21 ].…”

“…In most cases the lesion in cutaneous leishmania-KARGER 11-MaiI karger(« karger.ch F a x + 41 6 Ï 3 0 6 12 34 sis gradually heals leaving a scar. However, with species of the New World, but also of the Old World, diffuse local, mucocutaneous (L. braziliensis complex), or even systemic dissemination may occur [3][4][5], Several local or systemic therapies have been reported [5 -7 , for rcvicw| which may abrogate the disease. The mainstay of therapy for diffuse cutaneous, mucocutaneous or visceral leishmaniasis has been pcntavalent antimony.…”