INVASION, CONTROL AND PERSISTENCE OF LEISHMANIA PARASITES

Significant advances in research on the immunopathogenesis of leishman iasis include the discovery of novel putative evasion and survival str ategies of Leishmania parasites, a more detailed understanding of the function and regulation of interleukin-12, definition of molecules inv olved in cognate interaction between macrophages and T cells and new i deas concerning the mechanisms of host resistance an susceptibility. T he use of transgenic mice for (re)probing certain immunological aspect s of leishmaniasis has yielded not only predictable and confirmatory b ut also unexpected and pioneering results which require critical appre ciation.