Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Dorsal Skin of Hamsters: a Useful Model for the Screening of Antileishmanial Drugs
Published on: April 21, 2012
Biomarkers of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Fariborz Bahrami1, Ali M Harandi2, Sima Rafati3
1Department of Immunology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Identifying biomarkers for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is crucial for developing diagnostics and control strategies. This review focuses on biomarkers for asymptomatic CL, aiding in infection management and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Parasitology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an immune-mediated skin disease caused by various *Leishmania* species.
- CL significantly impacts developing countries, causing morbidity and social stigma.
- Asymptomatic CL cases are common, with infection control mechanisms not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current biomarkers for CL infection and immunity.
- To emphasize biomarkers specific to asymptomatic CL.
- To explore future directions in CL biomarker discovery.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing CL biomarker research.
- Analysis of direct and indirect biomarkers.
- Discussion of host immune responses (T-cells, cytokines) and diagnostic markers (ADA, antibodies).
Main Results:
- Direct biomarkers indicate active infection.
- Indirect biomarkers reflect host immune response, including delayed type hypersensitivity, T-cell changes, cytokines, adenosine deaminase (ADA), and anti-sand fly saliva antibodies.
- Asymptomatic CL biomarkers are key for understanding infection control.
Conclusions:
- Biomarkers are essential for developing precise CL diagnostics and control strategies.
- Further research, including systems analysis, is needed to identify novel CL biomarkers.
- Understanding asymptomatic CL biomarkers can lead to better preventive measures.
Abstract:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an immune-mediated skin pathology caused mainly by Leishmania (L.) major, Leishmania tropica, Leishmania braziliensis, L. mexicana, and L. amazonensis. The burden of CL in terms of morbidity and social stigmas are concentrated on certain developing countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. People with asymptomatic CL represent a large proportion of the infected individuals in the endemic areas who exhibit no lesion and can control the infection by as yet not fully understood mechanisms. Currently, there is no approved prophylactic control measure for CL. Discovery of biomarkers of CL infection and immunity can inform the development of more precise diagnostics tools as well as curative or preventive strategies to control CL. Herein, we provide a brief overview of the state-of-the-art for the biomarkers of CL with a special emphasis on the asymptomatic CL biomarkers. Among the identified CL biomarkers so far, direct biomarkers which indicate the actual presence of the infection as well as indirect biomarkers which reflect the host's reaction to the infection, such as alterations in delayed type hypersensitivity, T-cell subpopulations and cytokines, adenosine deaminase, and antibodies against the sand fly saliva proteins are discussed in detail. The future avenues such as the use of systems analysis to identify and characterize novel CL biomarkers are also discussed.
