Leishmania: Current Biology and Control

Every year, with an estimated 1.3 million new cases and more than 20,000 deaths, Leishmaniasis continues to be a menace in countries across the globe. With the absence of an anti-Leishmania vaccine - along with the toxicity of current anti-parasite drugs and coupled with the rapid emergence of drug resistant Leishmania strains - there remains significant challenges for disease control. This has spurred a plethora of research initiatives into parasite biology, parasite-host interaction, mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, drug development, and the molecular mechanism of drug resistance. Insights obtained from various studies are essential for the development of novel anti-Leishmania treatment strategies. In this timely book, respected Leishmania experts distil important current research, highlighting the most insightful discoveries in the field. Topics covered include: modulation of host miRNA
• heat shock proteins
• iron in the Leishmania-macrophage interaction
• oxidative and nitrosative stress response
• cell death
• strategies for immune evasion
• STAT signaling
• parasite modulation of toll-like receptors in macrophages
• T cells in Leishmania infection
• vaccine biology
• inhibitors of Leishmania DNA topoisomerases
• mechanism of drug resistance in visceral Leishmaniasis. The book is an essential text for everyone in the Leishmania community and is recommended for researchers working in related fields.