title: Immunosuppressant effects of Leishmania infection in Psammomys obesus trapped in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the immune status of Psammomys obesus (P. obesus) most implicated as a reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in the Al-Ahsa area, Saudi Arabia. Based on the presence of amastigotes in the characteristic lesions and, rodents were divided into two groups. G1 was apparently healthy 10 rodents and G2 were infected 10 ones. Reduced leukocyte count, percentage lymphocyte and lysozome activity occurred in infected rodents compared to control ones. The infection significantly reduced the macrophage phagocytic activity reflected by two fold reduction in intravascular carbon clearance compared to control rodents. The results showed that ZCL produced an immunosuppressant effects in P. obesus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, PO Box: 10590, Riyadh 11443, Saudi Arabia. hamdan@kfu.edu.sa
authors.forename: Hamdan I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Al-Mohammed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D009113:Muramidase