title: Leishmania vaccine development: exploiting the host-vector-parasite interface.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, fatal if untreated, and with no available human vaccine. In rodents, cellular immunity to Leishmania parasite proteins as well as salivary proteins of the sand fly is associated with protection, making them worthy targets for further exploration as vaccines. This review discusses the notion that a combination vaccine including Leishmania and vector salivary antigens may improve vaccine efficacy by targeting the parasite at its most vulnerable stage just after transmission. Furthermore, we put forward the notion that better modeling of natural transmission is needed to test efficacy of vaccines. For example, the fact that individuals living in endemic areas are exposed to sand fly bites and will mount an immune response to salivary proteins should be considered in pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of leishmaniasis vaccines. Nevertheless, despite remaining obstacles there is good reason to be optimistic that safe and effective vaccines against leishmaniasis can be developed.
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Disease Research Institute , Seattle WA , USA.|b Department of Global Health , University of Washington , Seattle WA , USA.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Disease Research Institute , Seattle WA , USA.|b Department of Global Health , University of Washington , Seattle WA , USA.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Coler
authors.affiliation: c International Center for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Centre for Nutrition and Food Security , Parasitology Laboratory , Dhaka , Bangladesh.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.affiliation: d Vector Molecular Biology Section, LMVR , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH , Rockville , MD , USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamhawi
authors.affiliation: d Vector Molecular Biology Section, LMVR , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH , Rockville , MD , USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011576:Psychodidae; D012377:Rodentia; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D019476:Insect Proteins; D054332:Leishmaniasis Vaccines; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D017778:Vaccines, Combined
keywords: Leishmania; adjuvant; saliva; sand fly; vaccine