Racial differences, familial clustering, and murine studies are sugges
tive of host genetic control of Leishmania infections. Complex segrega
tion analysis has been carried out by use of the programs POINTER and
COMDS and data from a total population survey, comprising 636 nuclear
families, from an L. peruviana endemic area. The data support genetic
components controlling susceptibility to clinical leishmaniasis, influ
encing severity of disease and resistance to disease among healthy ind
ividuals. A multifactorial model is favored over a sporadic model. Two
-locus models provided the best fit to the data, the optimal model bei
ng a recessive gene (frequency .57) plus a modifier locus. Individuals
infected at an early age and with recurrent lesions are genetically m
ore susceptible than those infected with a single episode of disease a
t a later age. Among people with no lesions, those with a positive ski
n-test response are genetically less susceptible than those with a neg
ative response. The possibility of the involvement of more than one ge
ne together with environmental effects has implications for the design
of future linkage studies.