Experimental Models for Leishmaniasis

Abstract

Murine models for experimental leishmaniasis are well established models. Parasites are injected underneath the skin of the footpad. While most of the mice strains like C57BL/6, CBA/J, C3H or BIOD2 resist the infection with clinical cure within few months (Handman et al. 1979); BALB/c and all T-cell immunodeficient strains manifest a systemic visceral leishmania leading to death (Howard et al. 1980, 1982; Mitchell et al. 1980). Resistance and susceptibility are closely related with the development of T-cell responses of Th1 or Th2 type, respectively. Recent studies have shown that the mice model of L. donovani does not reproduce the features of active human VL like chronic fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia and profound cachexia and have an ineffective anti-leishmanial cellular response (Melby et al. 2001). On the contrary, Syrian golden hamster model of active VL closely relate the human counterpart as shown by relentless increase in visceral parasite burden, progressive cachexia, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, hypergammaglobulinemia and ultimately death (Melby et al. 2001). Unfortunately, studies in hamster model are limited by the lack of immunological reagents.