Diagnostic Tools for Kala-Azar and Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL)

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Point-of-Care Diagnostics and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 2128

Special Issue Editors

Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata 700032, India
Interests: diagnostic tools for kala-azar and PKDL; mechanism of immune regulation and drug induced immunomodulation in Indian kala-azar and PKDL; evaluation of vaccination strategies and protein- and DNA-based candidate antigens; studies on immune stimulation pathways by liposomal vaccines; cationic liposome based combination therapy with existing drugs and novel compounds; study of host cell signaling during visceral leishmaniasis; validation of novel drug targets for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis; development of strategies for cancer targeting by liposomal formulations

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Guest Editor
Fischell Department of Bioengineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Interests: parasitic diseases; tropical diseases; zoonotic diseases; infectious disease epidemiology; infection; immunology; zoonoses; infectious disease transmission; biotechnology; malaria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease, is a public health problem worldwide, with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar being potentially fatal in the absence of treatment. Over the past few years, incredible progress has been achieved with regard to VL control in many endemic areas. The key factors that have impacted this success rely on strategies for early diagnosis and effective treatment. Besides VL, the management of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), generally a sequel to kala-azar, and HIV-VL coinfections remain additional challenges to VL elimination programs. The world after the COVID-19 pandemic is facing novel concerns regarding existing infectious diseases that cause immunocompromised conditions. Therefore, in order to conquer the disease, diagnostic tools could be one of the impactful measures utilized. This Special Issue will focus on several aspects of VL and PKDL diagnosis that are yet to be fully unraveled, along with the inherent limitations and drawbacks of current diagnostics. We welcome authors to contribute to this Special Issue by submitting their original research and review articles relevant to the topic.

Dr. Nahid Ali
Dr. Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi
Guest Editors

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Review

18 pages, 1042 KiB  
Review
Diagnostic Tools for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania donovani: A Narrative Review
by Sachee Bhanu Piyasiri, Rajika Dewasurendra, Nilakshi Samaranayake and Nadira Karunaweera
Diagnostics 2023, 13(18), 2989; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13182989 - 18 Sep 2023
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Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease, encompasses a spectrum of clinical conditions and poses a significant risk of infection to over one billion people worldwide. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Indian sub-continent (ISC), where the causative parasite is Leishmania donovani, is targeted for [...] Read more.
Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease, encompasses a spectrum of clinical conditions and poses a significant risk of infection to over one billion people worldwide. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Indian sub-continent (ISC), where the causative parasite is Leishmania donovani, is targeted for elimination by 2025, with some countries already reaching such targets. Other clinical phenotypes due to the same species could act as a reservoir of parasites and thus pose a challenge to successful control and elimination. Sri Lanka has consistently reported cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) due to L. donovani as the primary disease presentation over several decades. Similar findings of atypical phenotypes of L. donovani have also been reported from several other countries/regions in the Old World. In this review, we discuss the applicability of different methods in diagnosing CL due to L. donovani and a comprehensive assessment of diagnostic methods spanning clinical, microscopic, molecular, and immunological approaches. By incorporating evidence from Sri Lanka and other regions on L. donovani-related CL, we thoroughly evaluate the accuracy, feasibility, and relevance of these diagnostic tools. We also discuss the challenges and complexities linked to diagnosing CL and review novel approaches and their applicability for detecting CL. Full article
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