title: Evaluation of IFN-γ polymorphism in visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease that is endemic in some areas of Iran, including East Azerbaijan. IFN-γ is one of the cytokines that triggers cell-mediated immunity, thus initiating elimination of the infection. This case-control study was performed to investigate the association between the polymorphism of the IFN-γ gene at the +874A/T locus and visceral leishmaniasis (VL).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study conducted during 2012-2013, 267 participants were selected from individuals living in an endemic area of VL. Subjects were divided into three groups; 86 patients with VL, 82 seropositive individuals without any history of leishmaniasis, and 99 seronegative healthy controls. Genotyping of the IFN-γ +874A/T polymorphism was carried out using an Amplification Refractory Mutation System-PCR (ARMS-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of the +874A allele in the patient group (75.5%) was higher than in the seropositive individuals (54%). The highest frequency of the +874T/T genotype was observed in seropositive individuals, while the patient group had the lowest frequency (34.1% vs. 24.5%). However, these differences were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant association between IFN-γ +874A/T polymorphism and VL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. a.h.maghsood@umsha.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Amir Hossein
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Maghsood
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Golamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jadideslam
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fallah
authors.affiliation: Tabriz Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bazmani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D001382:Azerbaijan; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007223:Infant; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D007492:Iran; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: ARMS-PCR; Interferon-gamma; Polymorphism; Visceral leishmaniasis