Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate some cytokines (INF-g, IL-10, TNF-a) on blood samples of Iraqi children with Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) before and during treatment with stibogluconate and healthy people serving as control, using ELISA kits. Samples were confirmed parasitologically by bone marrow smears. The results of cytokine showed that there were significant increases in the levels of all the investigated cytokines (INF-g, IL-10, TNF-a) in the sera of patients with VL during active disease in comparison with the control group. On the other hand, patients after treatment showed a dramatic and progressive decline in serum levels of all the tested cytokine during the whole period-21 days- of therapy. These declines were started from day-7 to go back to the normal or comparable to the level of healthy controls after 21-days.

Key words: Visceral leishmaniasis, cytokines, ELISA, INF-g, IL-10, TNF-a, stibogluconate.