This work aims at identifying an effective protocol to raise anti-Leishmania chagasi amastigote antibodies in different animal species. Protocols of immunization by subcutaneous injections of L. chagasi promastigote and amastigote lysates or by either intravenous or subcutaneous inoculation of live metacyclic promastigotes were assessed in mice, rabbits, and dogs. The immunization with live pro...

Protocols for DNA electroporation in Leishmania promastigote cells are well established. More recently, in vitro culture of axenic Leishmania amastigotes became possible. We have established conditions for DNA transformation of axenically grown Leishmania infantum amastigotes. Parameters for DNA electroporation of Leishmania axenic amastigotes were systematically studied using luciferase-mediat...

ABSTRACT        Background and Objective: Leishmania major is a flagellate protozoan parasite causing cutaneous leishmaniasis. Although pentavalent antimony compounds are the first-line drugs for leishmaniasis, their application is often accompanied by numerous limitations and side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to seek drugs of herbal origin that have fa...

OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of monoclonal antibodies (MABS) raised against L. major derived LPG on L. major development in vitro and in its natural vector P. duboscqi. Also determine whether LPG molecule and the sand fly the gut lysates have shared epitopes. DESIGN A laboratory based study. SETTING Colony bred P. duboscqi sand flies and all other experiments were done under laboratory c...

BACKGROUND The neglected human diseases caused by trypanosomatids are currently treated with toxic therapy with limited efficacy. In search for novel anti-trypanosomatid agents, we showed previously that the Crotalus viridis viridis (Cvv) snake venom was active against infective forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. Here, we describe the purification of crovirin, a cysteine-rich secretory protein (CRISP)...

a 5-month old puppy with muco-cutaneous lesions in the chin, around lips and eyes was exam­ined physically and microscopically for leishmaniasis. muco-cutaneous lesions containing a large num­ber of amastigotes of leishmania spp. were observed . amastigotes were also detected in liver and spleen of the puppy. the animal was positive with dipstick rk39 kit and high level of anti- leishmania anti...

Endocytic activity is particularly intense in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, while in amastigotes and trypomastigotes it is untraceable. Cargo molecules enters through the cytostome or flagellar pocket at the parasite anterior region, goes along a branched early endosomal network of tubules and vesicles spread from nuclear periphery to the posterior pole, until delivery to reservosomes, the f...

We investigated the in vitro action of an hydrosoluble 2-nitroimidazole, Etanidazole (EZL), against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. EZL displayed lethal activity against isolated trypomastigotes as well as amastigotes of T. cruzi (RA strain) growing in Vero cells or J774 macrophages, without affecting host cell viability. Although not completely equivalent to Benznidaz...

AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the anti-leishmanial activity and cytotoxicity of aqueous and organic extracts of ten plants used in Mexican traditional medicine as anti-parasitics. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the organic extracts, plant material was macerated in dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and dichloromethane/methanol (CH2Cl2/MeOH) (1:1) during two weeks; the aqueous extracts were prepared by infusi...

Leishmaniasis represents a serious threat to the health as one of the most important neglected tropical diseases as designated by the World Health Organization. The disease is endemic in 82 countries, among them Tunisia is an indigenous area for cutaneous Leishmaniasis. In a previous work, two tritepenic acids namely oleanolic and maslinic acids have been isolated from olive leaf extract. In th...