Efficacy of ELISA-based serological assay with recombinant Leishmania infantum Hsp83 antigen in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis in HIV-infected patients

• Grant number: 11/02235-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2011
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Hiro Goto
• Grantee: Hiro Goto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (IMT). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: José Angelo Lauletta Lindoso ; Maria Carmen Arroyo Sanchez

Abstract

There are large numbers of HIV-infected individuals besides great expansion of visceral and tegumentary leishmaniasis in Brazil, particularly in the State of São Paulo. In previous studies we observed that there is underdiagnosis of leishmaniasis in patients with HIV partly due to its unusual clinical presentation. There is also lack of knowledge in our country on the diagnostic value of serological tests that may be ineffective in the face of immunosuppression or, on the other hand, be false positives, if reactive, by the frequent presence of different opportunistic infections in these patients. We studied serological enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with recombinant Hsp83 of Leishmania infantum shown to be effective in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in man and also of visceral leishmaniasis in dogs, with better parameters of sensitivity and specificity than those currently in use. In this study we will evaluate the effectiveness of the ELISA with rHsp83 antigen in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis in HIV -infected patients. This test is not species-specific, but in this co-infection, as the clinical picture may not be consistent with the species of parasite involved, we consider it more appropriate. If proven the usefulness of this method, its use in suspected cases of leishmaniasis undoubtedly will contribute to establish the diagnosis without delay to start with specific treatment. This project focus HIV/Leishmania coinfected patients, but when standardized, this test has a potential to be used in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis in general, instead of the routine tests performed using the whole parasite or its lysate. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CELESTE, BEATRIZ JULIETA; ARROYO SANCHEZ, MARIA CARMEN; RAMOS-SANCHEZ, EDUARDO MILTON; CASTRO, LUIZ GUILHERME M.; LIMA COSTA, FRANCISCO ASSIS; GOTO, HIRO. Recombinant Leishmania infantum Heat Shock Protein 83 for the Serodiagnosis of Cutaneous, Mucosal, and Visceral Leishmaniases. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, v. 90, n. 5, p. 860-865, MAY 2014. (11/02235-0)