Adenosine deaminase activity in sera of patients with visceral leishmaniasis in India.
BACKGROUND
Serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity increases in diseases where cellular immunity is involved. Since cell-mediated immune responses play a paramount role in the pathogenesis and healing of the visceral leishmaniasis, therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the serum ADA activity in different pathological conditions.


METHODS
Adenosine deaminase was determined in sera of active visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients at diagnosis and at posttreatment (n=22), healthy controls (n=15), patients with malaria (n=10), leprosy (n=10) and tuberculosis (n=10).


RESULTS
Serum levels of ADA were significantly higher in active VL patients as compared to controls and patients with other diseases. ADA levels were also raised in patients with malaria, though not significantly as compared with active VL patients. Sera from VL patients at posttreatment showed significantly decreased ADA levels over sera from patients at diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The results therefore suggest that ADA is involved in the pathogenesis and could be used as a clinical marker in the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.
Tripathi
Kiran
K
Department of Microbiology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Kumar
Ramesh
R
Bharti
Kalpana
K
Kumar
Pramod
P
Shrivastav
Rajkamal
R
Sundar
Shyam
S
Pai
Kalpana
K
D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000097:blood* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male
D015415:Biomarkers; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase