title: Quantiferon-Leishmania as an epidemiological tool for evaluating the exposure to Leishmania infection.
abstract: The aim of the present preliminary study was to investigate the potential of measurement of IFN-γ secretion by T cells into blood plasma using QuantiFERON assay with leishmanial antigens to determine the presence of Leishmania infection. Blood samples from cured visceral (N = 18), and cutaneous (N = 20) leishmaniasis cases, and 20 healthy controls were tested. The IFN-γ responses to Leishmania major H2B and Leishmania infantum H2B antigens were detected from the majority of treated old visceral leishmaniasis cases, but not from controls. Future studies using larger groups will be required to establish the true potential of the assay for epidemiological screening of leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Ege University Medical School, Izmir, Turkey. nevin.turgay@ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Turgay
authors.forename: I Cuneyt
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Balcioglu
authors.forename: Seray Ozensoy
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Toz
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozbel
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C032127:leishmanin; D007371:Interferon-gamma