Immune regulation during chronic visceral leishmaniasis

Rebecca J Faleiro; Rajiv Kumar; Louise M Hafner; Christian R Engwerda

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002914

Immune regulation during chronic visceral leishmaniasis

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Jul 10;8(7):e2914. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002914. eCollection 2014 Jul.

Authors

Rebecca J Faleiro¹, Rajiv Kumar², Louise M Hafner³, Christian R Engwerda²

Affiliations

¹ QIMR Berghofer, Brisbane, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
² QIMR Berghofer, Brisbane, Australia.
³ Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis is a chronic parasitic disease associated with severe immune dysfunction. Treatment options are limited to relatively toxic drugs, and there is no vaccine for humans available. Hence, there is an urgent need to better understand immune responses following infection with Leishmania species by studying animal models of disease and clinical samples from patients. Here, we review recent discoveries in these areas and highlight shortcomings in our knowledge that need to be addressed if better treatment options are to be developed and effective vaccines designed.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Chronic Disease
Disease Models, Animal
Humans
Leishmaniasis Vaccines
Leishmaniasis, Visceral / drug therapy*
Leishmaniasis, Visceral / immunology*

Substances

Leishmaniasis Vaccines

Grants and funding

Research in the author's laboratory is funded by grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au) and the Australian government's Department of Industry, Innovation, Science Research and Tertiary Education (http://www.innovation.gov.au/aisrf). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.