title: Vector saliva in vaccines for visceral leishmaniasis: a brief encounter of high consequence?
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne disease transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies and remains the most serious form of the disease with no available human vaccine. Repeatedly, studies have demonstrated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a number of sand fly salivary proteins against cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. All Leishmania species including agents of VL are co-deposited into the skin together with vector saliva. Generally, the immune response to a protective salivary protein in vaccinated animals is rapid and possibly acts on the parasites soon after delivery into the skin by the bite of an infective sand fly. This is followed by the development of a stronger Leishmania-specific immunity in saliva-vaccinated animals compared to controls. Considering that several of the most efficacious protective molecules were identified from a proven vector of VL, we put forward the notion that a combination vaccine that includes a Leishmania antigen and a vector salivary protein has the potential to improve vaccine efficacy by targeting the parasite at it most vulnerable stage just after transmission.
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD , USA.
authors.forename: Shaden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamhawi
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD , USA.
authors.forename: Hamide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.affiliation: Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD , USA.
authors.forename: Jesus G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
keywords: Th1 immune response; delayed-type hypersensitivity response; salivary proteins as vaccines; sand fly vectors; vector-transmission; visceral leishmaniasis