What is it about?
Leishmania donovani is a parasite that usually spreads throughout the body organs such as spleen and liver to cause severe disease. But majority of infections with this parasite is limited to the skin in Sri Lankan patients. This paper describes the host immune response to this parasite.
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Why is it important?
The host immune response may have a role in localization of the parasite to the skin. Predominant host cytokine profile, in the form of Th1 or Th2 will determine the outcome of the disease. We have quantified the Th1 and Th2 response to the parasite and also explored the pathological feature in the skin lesions. We have identified in Sri Lankan patients, an increased production of Th1 cytokines that usually leads to disease cure.
Perspectives
Cutaneous leishmaniasis being a newly established parasitic disease in Sri Lanka, with a usually visceralizing parasite as the causative agent need extensive characterization of the parasite as well as the host immune response in order to plan for treatment and control of the disease. This paper describes the first instance where host cytokine response to localized Leishmania donovani infection is characterized. We hope to build up on this work to further explore the localized immune response to this parasite among Sri Lankan patients.
Dr. Nuwani H Manamperi
Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: In situ immunopathological changes in cutaneous leishmaniasis due toLeishmania donovani, Parasite Immunology, March 2017, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/pim.12413.
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