title: Visceral leishmaniasis: immunology and prospects for a vaccine.
abstract: Human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) is the most severe clinical form of a spectrum of neglected tropical diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Caused mainly by L. donovani and L. infantum/chagasi, HVL accounts for more than 50 000 deaths every year. Drug therapy is available but costly, and resistance against several drug classes has evolved. Here, we review our current understanding of the immunology of HVL and approaches to and the status of vaccine development against this disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hull York Medical School and Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK. paul.kaye@york.ac.uk
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aebischer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D004285:Dogs; D055808:Drug Discovery; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000628:therapy; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines