A trial of immunisation against cutaneous leishmaniasis

Abstract EN

Background : Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an endemic protozoal disease in Iraq.

Recovery from the disease confers a solid and permanent immunity.

Vaccination with a living inoculum of promastigotes isolated from culture reduce the incidence of disease.

Objective : To show the efficacy of different types of antigens for protection of Balb / c mice against cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Methods : Thirty Balb Ic mice were divided in to six groups, groups 1-4 were immunized with different types of antigens (heat killed, freezing-thawing, formalin fixed and ultrasonicated).

Received June 2005 Group 5 was treated with freshly harvested viable promastigotes from liquid medium as positive Accepted Nov.

2005 control and group 6 was kept as negative control.

Leishmanin test was used for estimation of hypersensitivity of skin.

Results : Immunization with antigens preparation revealed that, the immunized mice became resistant to infection.

Conclusion : Immunization of mice against cutaneous leishmaniasis is possible by using different types of antigens.