[NK cells in cutaneous leishmaniasis and their response to medical treatment]

WHO remarked Leishmaniasis as a world wide hygienic problem with a highly considerable prevalence in Iran. Mashhad is known as one of the most important foci of the disease in our country. Different responses to medical treatment and various prognosis of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis as well as the possible role of NK cells in prognosis prompted us to evaluate the percentage of these cells through determining CD16+56 marker by flow cytometry in different groups of patients. In this prospective study conducted in Ghaem Hospital and Bu Ali Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from August 2001 to October 2002, 36 patients with confirmed cutaneous Leishmaniasis were involved .Blood samples collected from them before and after treatment, 29 cases out of these patients successfully carried out the survey and 7 patients excluded for different reasons. Lymphocytes with CD16+56 markers were counted using different monoclonal antibodies such as CD16+56 +obtained from IQ products Co., the Netherlands. In this project, the percentage of NK cells in the total patients and the control group were significantly different [p=0.01] and also the similar results were obtained with patients who respond to treatment after first period of medication [p=0.02] and those who did not [p= 0.04]. Meanwhile, in our study the percentage of NK cells of the whole patients was not significantly different, before and after the treatment. In patients who were sensitive to the treatment and in those who were not the percentage of NK cells were not differing significantly as well. These results suggest that decreased number of NK cells in patient at risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis may increase the infection risk. And also suggest that Glucantime does not affect on the percentage of NK cells in the treatment of the patients

[Evaluation of cells with CD 14 marker monocytes in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis before and after medical treatment]

Leishmaniasis is one of the human diseases severity of wich varies from a self limiting cutaneous lesion to a severe visceral form. It is endemic in several parts of the world including our country Iran and especially in the province of Khorasan and the city of Mashhad. The study was intended to evaluate the percentage of monocellular macrophages in 36 patients and to investigate their role in prevention of the disease and its response to the treatment. The study was a case-control study conducted from August 2001 until October 2002 in Ghaem Hospital and Bu-Ali Research Ins. of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences and finally 29 patients were carried out the survey as the study group and 23 people of their families as control group. A blood sample of 10 cc was obtained from both groups before and after treatment. Compelet Blood Counting and CD14 marker studies by flow cytometry for evaluating monocyte percentage were used. Personal, laboratory and treatment data were recorded in a questionare. Qualitive and descriptive statistics were used for analysis. The percentage of monocytes in the whole population of patients was significantly more than control group [p=0.006].The percentage of monocytes in patients who gave a positive response to the treatment [group I] and those who did not recovered after the treatment [group 2] was significantly higher, with a p value of 0.0 13 and 0.015 respectively, comparing with the control group. In order to get a more delicate evaluation, the study was repeated again by flow cytomctry method considering the CD14 marker. The result was similar; percentage of CD14 was increased significantly in whole patients, first group and second group [p<0.001, p= 0.003 and p=0.015 respectively], comparing with the control group. Meanwhile, comparing the three studied groups before and after medical treatment, the percentage of monocytes slightly decreased; the study had a similar result conducted for evaluating CD14 marker. This study suggests the major role of monocytes in revealing the disease and perhaps decreased percentage of monocytes caused by the influence of medical treatment