Characterization of histopathological changes and cellular immune response in cutaneous lesions of patients with Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in Panamá

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is the zoonosis with the highest incidence in the rural population of Panama. Approximately 3000 new cases have been registered annually in the country, and the same number of cases without a confirmatory diagnosis is estimated. This register is due to the chronicity of the infection and to the fact that the disease occurs mainly in poor rural populations, usually far from the health laboratories with the capacity to diagnose the infection. In view of this, this study aims to improve the parasitological diagnosis of the disease, as well as to characterize histopathologically the cutaneous lesions and cellular immune response in situ in Panamanian patients affected by cutaneous leishmaniasis using the immunohistochemistry technique. It is hoped that the results obtained will help to better define the magnitude and pathogenesis of this parasitic disease in Panama and thus better guide the control strategies and/or improve their management. In addition, the characterization of the histopathological changes and aspects of cellular immunity in cutaneous lesions caused by L. (V.) panamensis will provide a greater subsidy in the studies related to the spectrum of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) that has been the object of study of our search group. (AU)