Evaluation of Interferon-gamma Application for Recognition of Patients Afflicted by Non-healing Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Different studies undertaken in the animal modeling show that Interferon-gamma deficiency impairs healing process of Leishmania infection. It seems that the level of Interferon-gamma production could also affect the healing duration of Leishmania lesion in humans. The current study aims to investigate the possibility of Interferon-gamma application for recognition of cases afflicted by non-healing Leishmaniasis.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 32 patients, who were afflicted by healing or non-healing Leishmaniasis, were isolated and the levels of interferon-gamma were determined, using ELISA method. Afterwards, the cut-off point of interferon-gamma to identify patients afflicted by non-healing Leishmaniasis was calculated through ROC-Curve analysis. Furthermore, Leishmanin Skin Test (LST) was performed for every patient.
Levels of Interferon-gamma produced by PBMCs stimulated with Soluble Leishmania Antigen (SLA) or Phytohemaglotinine were significantly higher in healing patients, compared with non-healing individuals (p Discussion and Interferon-gamma deficiency could be considered as one of the causative factors in non-healing Leishmaniasis in humans. In fact, Interferon-gamma deficiency can identify some patients afflicted by non-healing Leishmaniasis.