Indirect immunofluorescence test in new world Leishmaniasis: serological and clinical relation-ship

the indirect immunofluorescence test (if) for anti-leishmania antibodies (igc and igm) was performed with sera form the following groups of individuals: 214 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients, 28 healthy subjects with positive montenegro's skin test (mst), 29 healthy subjects with negativemst and 16 visceral leishmaniasis patients. the first four groups came from a suburban area of rio de janeiro (jacarepaguá) where cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by leishmania braziliensis braziliensis is endemic. it was observed that if-igm titers were significantly higher amongst the cutaneous leishmaniasis patients with less than four months of disease as compared to those with longer periods and that if-igg titers were significantly higher in patients with multiple lesions as compared to those with single lesions. the visceral leishmaniasis patients had if-igg titers significantly higher than those from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. a group of 28 individuals selected amongst the 214 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients had their if-titers (igg and igm) compared to those of the two control groups of healthy subjects from the endemic area, respectively with positive and negative mst. significantly higher titers of if-igg and if-igm were found in the group with active disease. the same group of patients showed if-igg titers significantly lower at the end of the antimonial therapy than those observed during this tratment.