Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for superoxide dismutase-excreted antigen in diagnosis of sylvatic and Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis of Peru.

A superoxide dismutase excreted by promastigote forms of L. (Viannia) peruviana (SODe-Lp), L. (Viannia) brazilensis (SODe-Lb), and L. (L.) amazonensis (SODe-La) is tested to evaluate its potential value as a diagnostic tool of mucocutaneous and Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis. We used 45 sera with mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (SL) and 68 with Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). SODe-Lp antigen was recognized by 94% of the serum from ACL patients, and the SODe-Lb antigen was recognized by 93% of the serum from SL patients. Meanwhile, the result for SL and ACL patients with SODe-La antigen was 69% and 43% and SODe-Li was 11% and 9%, respectively. This suggest that antibodies to SODe-Lp undergo further response in patients with ACL and the antibodies to SODe-Lb do so preferentially in patients with SL. The SODe ELISA may be useful in endemic areas for discriminative assays between patients with different forms of leishmaniases and those with other clinical conditions.