CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNE-RESPONSE IN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS PATIENTS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cell-mediated immune respons e in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) patients, its usefulness as a diagno stic tool and to examine its variability in relation to chemotherapeut ic treatment. Cell-mediated immunity was evaluated by a lymphocyte pro liferation (LP) assay using whole blood specimens collected from 68, C L patients. Forty of them were treated topically with paromomycin plus methylbenzethonium chloride ointment a systemic allopurinol, and test ed before and after termination of treatment. The LP assay was positiv e in 86%-100% of the untreated patients at the time of referral. Treat ment given at various intervals after infection neither altered, nor t erminated the development of cellular immune response. A fluctuation o f the immune response was observed in 4 patients during infection. The refore, we conclude that the LP response becomes positive very early a fter infection, and can be used as an additional diagnostic tool for C L. No correlation was demonstrated between the level of LP and the res ult of treatment.