Immunology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Jul;87(1):70-5. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0479.
Patients who recover from leishmaniasis usually show development of strong immunity and induction of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and delayed type hypersensitivity. In a randomized trial, we analyzed the IFN-γ response by using a Quantiferon-Leishmania assay against three Leishmania peptide antigens and compared it with results of the leishmanin skin test (LST) in persons residing in areas in Iran to which zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL, 181 persons), anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL, 104 persons), and zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (ZVL, 67 persons) are endemic. The percentage of persons with an IFN-γ-positive response (> 0.2 IU/mL) to three antigens and the mean concentration of IFN-γ induced by the antigens were higher for persons from areas endemic for ZVL than for persons from areas endemic for ZCL and ACL. The percentage of persons with LST-positive results (≥ 5 mm indurations) was 99%, 94%, and 70% for areas with ZCL, ACL, and ZVL, respectively. Our data indicate that the LST is significantly more sensitive than IFN-γ levels in persons who have been cured of cutaneous leishmaniasis than in persons who have been cured of ZVL.
患有利什曼病并痊愈的患者通常会产生强烈的免疫反应，引起干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）和迟发型超敏反应。在一项随机试验中，我们分析了用利什曼原虫抗原检测试剂盒检测三种利什曼原虫肽抗原的 IFN-γ 反应，并将其与伊朗利什曼原虫病（ZCL，181 人）、人利什曼原虫病（ACL，104 人）和内脏利什曼原虫病（ZVL，67 人）流行地区居民的利什曼菌素皮肤试验（LST）结果进行了比较。对三种抗原的 IFN-γ 阳性反应（>0.2IU/mL）的人数百分比和抗原诱导的 IFN-γ 的平均浓度在 ZVL 流行地区的居民中均高于 ZCL 和 ACL 流行地区的居民。LST 阳性结果（≥5mm硬结）的人数百分比分别为 ZCL、ACL 和 ZVL 地区的 99%、94%和 70%。我们的数据表明，与已治愈的皮肤利什曼病患者相比，LST 在已治愈的内脏利什曼病患者中具有更高的敏感性。
