title: Asymptomatic infection with American cutaneous leishmaniasis: epidemiological and immunological studies.
abstract: American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is a major public health problem caused by vector-borne protozoan intracellular parasites from the genus Leishmania, subgenera Viannia and Leishmania. Asymptomatic infection is the most common outcome after Leishmania inoculation. There is incomplete knowledge of the biological processes explaining the absence of signs or symptoms in most cases while other cases present a variety of clinical findings. Most studies of asymptomatic infection have been conducted in areas of endemic visceral leishmaniasis. In contrast, asymptomatic ACL infection has been neglected. This review is focused on the following: (1) epidemiological studies supporting the existence of asymptomatic ACL infection and (2) immunological studies conducted to understand the mechanisms responsible for controlling the parasite and avoiding tissue damage.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Laboratorio de Inmunología, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Fernando J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Andrade-Narvaez
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Laboratorio de Inmunología, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Elsy Nalleli
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Loría-Cervera
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Laboratorio de Inmunología, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Erika I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Sosa-Bibiano
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr Hideyo Noguchi, Laboratorio de Inmunología, Mérida, Yucatán, México.
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Van Wynsberghe
mesh_terms: D058345:Asymptomatic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002489:Central America / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*