Leishmania & Leishmaniasis

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 614

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
Interests: leishmaniasis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Interests: leishmaniasis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Leishmaniasis is caused by more than 20 species of protozoa of the genus Leishmania. More than 90 species of sandflies are known to transmit the parasite. Around 70 animal species can be a source of transmission, including humans. Different presentations of leishmaniasis are endemic in several regions around the world. The disease manifests itself in three main forms: A) Cutaneous leishmaniasis causes lesions in the skin. About 95% of cases occur in the Americas, Mediterranean basin, Middle East, and Central Asia, with an estimated 600,000–1,000,000 new cases per year occurring around the world. B) Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis affects mainly mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat. More than 90% of cases occur in Bolivia, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Peru. C) Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) affects the organs of the hematopoietic system (bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes) and liver. When untreated, the lethality of visceral leishmaniasis reaches 95%; every year, 50,000–90,000 cases occur worldwide. These diseases have undergone relevant modifications over time related to climate change, deforestation, human and animal migration, living conditions, and wars. Important topics are related to their treatment. This Special Issue of Pathogens is dedicated to the various presentations of leishmaniasis and its respective etiological agents. We hope the studies included in this Special Issue will broaden and deepen our understanding of these diseases and the involved Leishmania species. As Guest Editors of this Special Issue, we invite you to submit research articles, review articles, and short communications related to the various forms of leishmaniasis and their respective agents, bringing new insights into these important diseases.

Dr. Maria Inês Fernandes Pimentel
Dr. Liliane de Fátima Antonio Oliveira
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • leishmaniasis
  • visceral leishmaniasis
  • cutaneous leishmaniasis
  • mucosal leishmaniasis
  • mucocutaneous leishmaniasis
  • human visceral leishmaniasis
  • canine visceral leishmaniasis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 1303 KiB  
Article
Extracellular Vesicle Release from Immune Cells in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Modulation by Leishmania (V.) braziliensis and Reversal by Antimonial Therapy
by Vanessa Fernandes de Abreu Costa, Thaize Quiroga Chometon, Katherine Kelda Gomes de Castro, Melissa Silva Gonçalves Ponte, Maria Inês Fernandes Pimentel, Marcelo Rosandiski Lyra, Rienk Nieuwland and Alvaro Luiz Bertho
Pathogens 2025, 14(8), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080771 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 438
Abstract
Human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is a complex parasitic disease marked by dynamic host–parasite interactions and immunomodulation. Extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from immune cells have emerged as key mediators of intercellular communication and potential biomarkers in infectious diseases. In [...] Read more.
Human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is a complex parasitic disease marked by dynamic host–parasite interactions and immunomodulation. Extracellular vesicles (EV) derived from immune cells have emerged as key mediators of intercellular communication and potential biomarkers in infectious diseases. In this study, we combined a modified lymphocyte proliferation assay with nano-flow cytometry to quantify and phenotype EV released by CD4+, CD8+, and CD14+ cells in PBMC cultures from CL patients at different clinical stages: before treatment (PBT), during treatment (PDT), and post-treatment (PET) with antimonial. Healthy individuals (HI) were included as physiological controls. Upon stimulation with L. (V.) braziliensis antigens, we observed a distinct modulation of EV subsets. In the PBT group, CD4+ and CD14+ EV were significantly reduced, while CD8+ EV remained elevated. During PDT and PET, EV concentrations were restored across all subsets. These findings suggest that L. (V.) braziliensis selectively modulates the release of immune cell–derived EV, possibly as an immune evasion mechanism. The restoration of EV release following antimonial therapy highlights their potential as sensitive biomarkers for disease activity and treatment monitoring. This study offers novel insights into the immunoregulatory roles of EV in CL and underscores their relevance in host–parasite interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leishmania & Leishmaniasis)
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