Innate lymphoid cells in peripheral blood of patients with American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are classified by the expression of specific transcription factors: ILC1 depending on T-bet for IFN-γ production; ILC2 depending on GATA3 for IL-5 and IL-13; and ILC3 depending on ROR-γτ and AHR for IL-17 and IL-22. This study aimed to determine circulating ILCs in 23 patients with localized (LCL) = 7, mucocutaneous (MCL) = 10, intermediate (ICL) = 3 and diffuse (DCL) = 3 cutaneous leishmaniasis and 17 healthy controls from endemic area (EC) = 9 and non-endemic area (HC) = 8. Results evidenced a higher proportion of ILC1 in LCL than controls and MCL.

Migration of physicians and keys to success.

There are currently nearly 1 billion migrants, of whom 259 million are international migrants, according to the World Health Organization. In the Americas, Venezuela has the highest migratory flow in the region in recent history. By September 2019, more than 4,300,000 people of all social classes had left the country.

Genetic variability of molecules involved in the disease pathogenesis in Leishmania infection.

Macrophages are the primary host cell for Leishmania parasites, by Toll like receptors (TLR-MyD88) that are central components of the innate and adaptive immunity against leishmania infection. The CD40/CD40L interaction has also been shown to be important in resistance to various protozoa. In this context, one of the most important properties of suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins, especially SOCS1 and SOCS3, is the regulation of macrophages cell for Leishmania parasites.

Harmonized clinical trial methodologies for localized cutaneous leishmaniasis and potential for extensive network with capacities for clinical evaluation.

Introduction: Progress with the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has been hampered by inconsistent methodologies used to assess treatment effects. A sizable number of trials conducted over the years has generated only weak evidence backing current treatment recommendations, as shown by systematic reviews on old-world and new-world CL (OWCL and NWCL).

Materials And Methods: Using a previously published guidance paper on CL treatment trial methodology as the reference, consensus was sought on key parameters including core eligibility and outcome measures, among OWCL (7 countries, 10 trial sites) and NWCL (7 countries, 11 trial sites) during two separate meetings.

Chemokines and chemokine receptors expression in the lesions of patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis.

American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) presents distinct active clinical forms with different grades of severity, known as localised (LCL), intermediate (ICL) and diffuse (DCL) cutaneous leishmaniasis. LCL and DCL are associated with a polarised T-helper (Th)1 and Th2 immune response, respectively, whereas ICL, or chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis, is associated with an exacerbated immune response and a mixed cytokine expression profile. Chemokines and chemokine receptors are involved in cellular migration and are critical in the inflammatory response.

Intermediate/borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis is a diverse group of vector-borne diseases caused by a subset of predominantly intracellular protozoal species of the genus Leishmania. Cutaneous disease may be subdivided into localized, intermediate, and diffuse forms. Intermediate cutaneous leishmaniasis is distributed widely in Latin America and is characterized by cutaneous lesions, which may be accompanied by mucosal disease and demonstrate a tendency toward chronicity and relapse as well as resistance to standard treatment regimens.

Cojedes: a leprosy hyperendemic state.

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease produced by Mycobacterium leprae. In 1997 Venezuela reached the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem (according to the World Health Organization a prevalence rate of ≤ 1/10,000 inhabitants), but five states still had prevalence rates over that goal. For this study we selected Cojedes State, where prevalence rates remain over the elimination goal.

[Non invasive diagnostic tools for visceral leishmaniasis: a comparison of the immunoserological tests DAT, rK26 and rK39].

Introduction: Human visceral leishmaniasis is a serious public health problem in endemic countries because of its high potential lethality, particularly in children. Rapid diagnosis is essential to early treatment and control of visceral leishmaniasis.

Objective: The aim was to compare three serodiagnostic tools for human visceral leishmaniasis.

Concurrent Chagas' disease and borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis: The role of amiodarone as an antitrypanosomatidae drug.

The occurrence of mixed infections of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. is becoming a common feature in Central and South America due to overlapping endemic areas. Unfortunately, the possibilities for treating flagellated kinetoplastid infections are still very limited and most of the available drugs exhibit severe side effects.

The direct agglutination test as an alternative method for the diagnosis of canine and human visceral leishmaniasis.

Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis is the most severe clinical form of leishmaniasis and is often fatal without proper treatment. Therefore, early and accurate diagnosis is important, but often difficult in endemic areas.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate a direct agglutination test as a potential visceral leishmaniasis diagnostic method in endemic areas of Venezuela.

Treatment of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis with miltefosine: a case report.

Background: A 31-year-old man who has suffered since age 3 from diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL), a disease with profound physical and psychosocial repercussions and no effective treatment at present, was treated with miltefosine.

Methods: The patient was treated for 120 days, 100 mg/day for 1 week, then 150 mg/day subsequently.

Results: Lesions were free of parasites at 43 days, and no signs of infiltration were present at day 76.

[Soft-tissue infections due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria following mesotherapy. What is the price of beauty].

Introduction: Mesotherapy is widely used In Latin America for cosmetic purposes, particularly in obese individuals. We describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics, microbiological diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients from Caracas (Venezuela) with soft tissue infection caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria following mesotherapy.

Methods: Between March 2002 and December 2003, we evaluated 49 cases of skin and soft tissue infection following mesotherapy.

Organ-specific immunity in canine visceral leishmaniasis: analysis of symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs naturally infected with Leishmania chagasi.

We characterized key leukocyte immunophenotypes in the liver and spleen of naturally infected dogs from an area in Venezuela endemic for leishmaniasis. Dogs were classified as symptomatic or asymptomatic after serologic and physical analysis. Symptomatic dogs showed a higher parasite burden in the liver and spleen than asymptomatic dogs.

Control trial of Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. in the Island of Margarita, Venezuela.

The incidence of the American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) in the Island of Margarita, a major tourist centre in Venezuela, has been increasing between 1998 and 2001. Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l.

Epidemiological aspects of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis in Venezuela.

Objective: To report recent data on the distribution of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Venezuela, and to highlight problems associated with effective control measures.

Methods: We report the number of cases, incidence rate, age and sex distribution, and mortality rates for human VL (HVL) for the period of 1995 through 2000, based on National Registry of Leishmaniasis data. We carried out serological studies on a total of 3 025 domestic dogs from the 12 states in Venezuela reporting cases of human VL in this 1995-2000 period and also from the state of Yaracuy, where cases were reported earlier during the decade of the 1990s.

Epidemiological and immunological aspects of human visceral leishmaniasis on Margarita Island, Venezuela.

Sixty-five patients were diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) on Margarita Island in the decade from 1990 to1999; 86.2% were <= 3 years old. All were leishmanin-negative at diagnosis.