[An immunologic method of producing antigens for the treatment and prevention of leishmaniasis]

Abstract

Antigens isolated from lysates of L. infantum promastigotes by electroelution from polyacrylamide gels and by gel filtration, have already been proven to induce anti-Leishmania protective immunity in BALB/c mice when injected subcutaneously. At the present time, five preparations including either Leishmania antigens or anti-idiotypic reagents as vaccines can be considered as candidates for immunoprophylaxis in natural hosts of Leishmania parasites. We present a new method for producing Leishmania antigenic preparations which is of considerable interest, since it can be proposed for immunotherapy and prevention of other parasitic, bacterial, viral and perhaps, retroviral diseases.