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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
11:12
Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
Published on: September 13, 2024
Beyond the parasite: reframing cutaneous leishmaniasis as a host-microbiome-vector ecosystem
Marie Andrea Laetitia Huët1, Archana Bhaw-Luximon1
1Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology Unit, Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) treatments need new strategies beyond parasite elimination. Integrating host, microbe, and parasite interactions with AI offers a path to advanced CL therapies.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Synthetic Biology
- Artificial Intelligence
Background:
- Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) disease outcomes arise from complex interactions between host immunity, Leishmania parasites, and sandfly microbiomes.
- Current CL treatments targeting parasite elimination face limitations including toxicity, drug resistance, side effects, and poor wound healing.
- A shift towards an integrated host-microbe-parasite model is necessary for developing more effective CL interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advancements in host-microbe-parasite-vector-based strategies for CL treatment.
- To explore the role of engineering, synthetic biology, and AI in developing novel CL therapeutics.
- To outline a systems-level strategy for next-generation CL therapies considering climate change impacts.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on host-microbe-parasite-vector interactions in CL.
- Analysis of emerging engineering and synthetic biology approaches for CL treatment.
- Discussion of computational and AI-driven frameworks for therapeutic design and efficacy enhancement.
Main Results:
- Emerging host-microbe-parasite-vector-based strategies show promise for CL treatment.
- Engineering and synthetic biology platforms, guided by AI, can enhance therapeutic development.
- Climate change is predicted to expand the geographic range and increase the risk of CL.
Conclusions:
- An integrated, systems-level approach combining engineering platforms and AI is crucial for developing next-generation CL therapies.
- Future strategies must address the multifaceted nature of CL, including host immunity, parasite, and microbiome dynamics.
- Reducing the global burden of CL requires innovative treatments that overcome current therapeutic limitations and adapt to environmental changes.
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