Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026
06:57
In Vivo Infection with Leishmania amazonensis to Evaluate Parasite Virulence in Mice
Published on: February 20, 2020
Is severe visceral leishmaniasis a systemic inflammatory response syndrome? A case control study
Carlos Henrique Nery Costa1, Guilherme Loureiro Werneck, Dorcas Lamounier Costa
1Laboratory of Leishmaniasis, Tropical Diseases Institute Natan Portella, Teresina, PI, Brazil. chncosta@gmail.com
Revista Da Sociedade Brasileira De Medicina Tropical
|August 31, 2010
Summary
Identifying risk factors for death in New World visceral leishmaniasis (VL) reveals distinct pathways: bacterial infections linked to immune paralysis and bleeding associated with systemic inflammation. Understanding these factors is crucial for severe VL management.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Pathophysiology
Background:
- New World visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a significant public health concern.
- Identifying risk factors for fatal outcomes is critical for improving patient survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the primary risk factors associated with mortality in New World visceral leishmaniasis.
- To elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms underlying severe VL based on clinical observations.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted involving 76 deceased VL patients and 320 successfully treated VL patients.
- Clinical data from inpatients were analyzed to identify distinct risk factors for different causes of death.
Main Results:
- Bacterial infection and bleeding were identified as mutually exclusive causes of death in VL patients.
- Risk factors for bacterial infection included malnutrition and severe anemia, while bleeding was associated with jaundice and liver/kidney failure.
- Common syndromes in treated VL patients included bacterial infection, bleeding, anemia, and organ-specific manifestations.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial infections in VL are likely a consequence of immune paralysis.
- Widespread organ involvement suggests a role for pro-inflammatory cytokines in severe VL.
- The observed syndromes align with a slowly developing systemic inflammatory response syndrome in visceral leishmaniasis.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:21Antiprotozoal Agents
Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:25Acute Inflammation III: Local and Systemic Effects
Acute inflammation produces a coordinated set of local and systemic changes that limit injury, eliminate pathogens, and initiate repair. These responses arise within minutes of infection, trauma, or chemical insult and are driven by vascular alterations and leukocyte-derived mediators. When the stimulus resolves, the reaction typically abates within days.Local EffectsAt the site of injury, arteriolar vasodilation increases blood flow, resulting in redness and warmth. Simultaneously, increased...