Poonam Salotra

..5%) and specificity (93.7%) compared to the other two antigens used. The data demonstrate that ELISA with crude or recombinant antigen k39 provides a relatively simple and less-invasive test for the reliable diagnosis of PKDL...

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..Diagnosis of PKDL presents a challenge due to low parasite burden in the lesions. In this article we have reviewed the recent advances in the development of immunological and molecular methods for diagnosis of PKDL...

..Such differentially expressed genes hold the key to understanding the parasite genetic factors that contribute to the persistence after clinical cure of VL...

..Current methods for diagnosis of post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) do not offer adequate sensitivity and specificity...

..Thus, this PCR assay represents a tool for the diagnosis of KA and PKDL in Indian patients in a noninvasive manner, with simultaneous species identification of parasites in clinical samples...

..As none of the genes exhibit an absolute correlation with phenotype, targeted expression analysis of a set of genes should be considered as biomarker for distinguishing the antimony-resistant and antimony-sensitive parasite...

..Assessment of in vivo mRNA level highlighted substantial differences in gene expression patterns, providing an indication of the genes involved in pathogenesis in the three different forms of Leishmaniasis...

..These data suggest that IL-8 is an effector immune-determinant in the progression of CL, whereas NO facilitates the parasite killing by macrophages via MCP-1-mediated stimulation...

..A significant increase in IFNgamma and CD40 levels seen after miltefosine therapy could enhance parasite clearance. The patient remained normal after 18 months of follow-up...

..Upregulation of IL-4 was correlated with a higher parasite burden in early lesions of CL, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of CL by inhibiting a protective immune response...

..Moreover, H2A overexpression resulted in a significant decrease in susceptibility towards other antileishmanial drugs currently in use, i.e. amphotericin B and miltefosine, pointing to its role in drug resistance...

..The study demonstrates the utility of random genome sampling methods in genomic fingerprinting and in identifying differentially transcribed sequences that could potentially contribute to parasite virulence...

..Paromomycin, exhibiting higher efficacy against SAG-resistant parasites and having a distinct mechanism of action, appears to be a promising drug for combination therapy...

..The results of gene expression analysis of LdMT and LdRos3 were suggestive of alternate mechanisms of Miltefosine susceptibility in the isolates...

..rLepp12 protein provides a useful reagent for highly sensitive and specific diagnosis of KA. Additionally, rLepp12 appears to have potential as a prognostic marker for the infection...

..Further, the Indian isolates were found closest to the Kenyan isolates of L. donovani on the basis of fragment analysis of microsatellite markers...

..Surveillance of MIL susceptibility in natural populations of Leishmania donovani is vital to preserve it and support the VL elimination program...

..Parallel functioning of counter acting immune responses (Th1/Th2) reflects a complex immunological scenario, suggesting the involvement of additional regulatory molecules in the disease pathogenesis...

..3% (25/28). Except for the kDNA PCR, all other assays were 100% specific. This study provides the first comprehensive molecular and immunologic studies of CL in India...

..This short descriptive paper assesses diagnostics, clinical characteristics and therapy of both Indian and African post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis...

..The precise immunological cause of PKDL outcome remains obscure. However, overlapping counter regulatory responses with elevated IFN-γ and IL-10 are reported...

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..PCR results were positive in 27 of 29 (93%) samples by nested PCR assay, while only 20 of 29 (69%) were positive in a primary PCR assay. The nested PCR assay allowed reliable diagnosis of PKDL in a noninvasive manner...

..The assay is applicable for diagnosis as well as prognosis of both VL and PKDL, providing a simple molecular tool to monitor the efficacy of antileishmanial drugs or vaccines...

..05) than that for SAG-resistant KA isolates (15.7 microg/mL). SAG-resistant PKDL isolates may contribute to KA's increased refractoriness to SAG, via anthroponotic transmission of SAG-resistant strains...

..The patient was cured with sodium stibogluconate. This report suggests that the extent to which L. major causes CL in the Indian subcontinent needs to be monitored...

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..Thus, our results support the utility of resazurin assay as a simplified biological tool for MIL susceptibility monitoring in clinical isolates from MIL-treated VL/PKDL patients...

..This review summarizes the recent developments in VL diagnostics, drawing attention towards the need for standardization of the diagnostics across the affected regions...

..Hence, data implies that the parasites survive in spite of the presence of effector molecules, and the excessive release of IFN-gamma and NO could be associated with the progression of the disease...

..We evaluated the utility of minimally invasive slit aspirate specimen for serological and molecular diagnosis of PKDL. We compared the PKDL diagnosis using slit aspirate and skin biopsy specimens from the same patients...

..L.) infantum, L. (L.) tropica, and L. (L.) major. This is the first comprehensive clinical study demonstrating the applicability of the LAMP assay for a rapid and reliable molecular diagnosis of VL and PKDL...

..Therefore, unfavorable clinical evolution in PKDL may not be due to the absence of an intralesional Th1 response but rather may be due to the presence of counteracting cytokines along with the down-modulation of IFN-gamma R1...

..An atypical presentation of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis is reported to highlight the importance of suspecting dermatosis in patients from areas endemic for kala-azar...

..Thus, DAT provides a simple, reliable, and inexpensive test for PKDL diagnosis with potential applicability in field conditions...

..Therefore, these studies suggest the importance of Ufm1 in Leishmania pathogenesis with larger impact on other organisms and further provide an opportunity to test Ufm1(-/-) parasites as drug and vaccine targets...

..The results depict that type1 response is not depressed during active KA and suggest the possibility that unresponsiveness to type1 stimuli may prevail...

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..The time necessary for performing this assay including sample preparation was less than 1.5 hours, making this a potentially useful method for rapidly diagnosing and monitoring the efficacy of drugs or vaccines in infected individuals...