Cytokine profiles, blood parasite load and clinical features of visceral leishmaniasis in West Pokot County, Kenya.

ABSTRACT: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania donovani complex. Blood cytokine concentrations in VL patients can inform us about underlying immunopathogenesis and may serve as a biomarker for treatment effectiveness. However, cytokine levels have not yet been studied in VL patients from Kenya, where case load is high. This study measured the serum cytokine profile, blood parasite load and clinical and haematological features of VL patients from West Pokot County, Kenya, over the course of treatment with sodium stibogluconate and paromomycin (SSG-PM). VL patients recruited at the hospital presented with splenomegaly and weight loss, and frequently had pancytopenia and anaemia. Median Leishmania parasite load in blood

SUBMITTER: van Dijk N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11474019 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature