AUTHOR=Brodskyn Claudia I., de Oliveira Camila I.

TITLE=The immunobiology of Leishmania braziliensis infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2012

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2012.00145

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2012.00145

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Leishmaniases are a group of diseases caused by protozoa of the genus <italic>Leishmania</italic> that affect millions of people worldwide. These diseases are caused by distinct <italic>Leishmania</italic> species, of which <italic>L. braziliensis</italic>, a New World representative of the <italic>Leishmania</italic> genus, has been the least studied. Although leishmaniasis caused by <italic>L. braziliensis</italic> induces a range of clinical manifestations ranging from mild localized lesions to severe mucosal involvement, few studies have focused on elucidating the immune mechanisms behind this pathology. In this review, we focus on the immunobiology of <italic>L. braziliensis</italic> infection, emphasizing the innate and adaptive immune responses and taking into consideration both studies performed in endemic areas and experimental models of infection. Additionally, we address recent findings regarding the role of sand fly saliva in disease immunopathogenesis and vaccine development.</p>