Quantiferon-Leishmania as an epidemiological tool for evaluating the exposure to Leishmania infection.
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.
Turgay
Nevin
N
Department of Parasitology, Ege University Medical School, Izmir, Turkey. nevin.turgay@ege.edu.tr
Balcioglu
I Cuneyt
IC
Toz
Seray Ozensoy
SO
Ozbel
Yusuf
Y
Jones
Stephen L
SL
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
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C032127:leishmanin; D007371:Interferon-gamma