Subcutaneous immunization with kharon1-deficient leishmania infantum induces immunogenicity and protects hamsters against visceral leishmaniasis
Vaccine·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.vaccine.2026.128911
- PMID
- 42442045
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W7168176984
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The findings provide experimental evidence that Likh1-/- may warrant further investigation as an immunoprophylactic approach for visceral leishmaniasis. The supplied evidence is limited to an animal model and does not establish effectiveness, safety, or feasibility in humans.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study evaluated whether subcutaneous immunization with the kharon1-deficient Leishmania infantum strain Likh1-/- induces immune responses and reduces parasite burdens after challenge in hamsters.
Study design
This was an experimental animal immunization and challenge study. Golden Syrian hamsters received one or two subcutaneous doses of Likh1-/-, were assessed after immunization, and were evaluated one and eight months after challenge with virulent L. infantum promastigotes.
Population and setting
The study used Golden Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) as an experimental model of visceral leishmaniasis. The intervention and challenge were conducted under experimental conditions described in the supplied abstract.
Main findings
Likh1-/- immunization was associated with mixed Th1/Th2 cellular responses, increased IFN-gamma-producing cells, reduced IL-10-producing lymphocytes, and increased total IgG and IgG2. Animals receiving two doses had lower hepatic and splenic parasite burdens than control animals at both reported post-challenge time points.
Public-health relevance
The findings provide experimental evidence that Likh1-/- may warrant further investigation as an immunoprophylactic approach for visceral leishmaniasis. The supplied evidence is limited to an animal model and does not establish effectiveness, safety, or feasibility in humans.
Important limitations
The evidence comes from a hamster model with experimental parasite challenge, so its applicability to human vaccination is not established by the abstract. The supplied abstract does not report key design details such as group sizes, allocation methods, blinding, or safety outcomes; decision-grade interpretation requires the original paper. This summary is also limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata.
GIDS interpretation
The article is discoverable as experimental evidence concerning leishmaniasis, vaccination, and vaccine effectiveness. It can provide context for laboratory vaccine research but does not confirm or characterize any live surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.