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Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Immunometabolic Circuits in Infection for Advancing Host Directed Therapies
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
PubMed

Insights

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.
Keywords:
Engineered therapeuticsLeishmaniasisMulti-targeted therapySystem biology

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