Intestinal helminthiasis as a relevant factor on immunological markers status of cutaneous leishmaniasis patients

Abstract

Background: The intestinal helminths and the tegumentary leishmaniasis are frequent in rain forest area of Bolivia by absence of basic sanitation services and the natural presence of sand fly, vector of Leishmania parasites. Each one of these infections triggers a specific immune response by the host, nevertheless there is scant information regarding the behaviour of immune response during simultaneous Leishmania and intestinal helminths infections. The purpose of this study was contributing to the knowledge on this matter. Results: Forty-four cutaneous leishmaniasis patients and thirty controls entered in the study. The percentage of eosinophils from peripheral blood and plasma concentration of IgE and TNF-α were increased at after antimony treatment, respect the values presented before treatment in Albendazole and Non Albendazole groups, those increases were not statically significant. A decrease between before and after antimony treatment was observed in the ratio CD4/CD8 in both groups, but only in the receiving Albendazole group it was presented differences statistically significant.Conclusions: Several changes in the status of immunological markers including the number of eosinophils were found after the antimony treatment of patients. No additional clinical, neither immunological benefit of Albendazole treatment could be documented probably because the contact of individuals with helminths is long-standing.