This study aimed to measure the alterations in serum zinc (Zn) and acute phase
proteins ( C-reactive protein and Ceruloplasmin) concentrations in patients with
visceral leishmaniasis (VL). A total of 62 individuals were enrolled in this study :
52 individuals were infected with visceral leishmaniasis and 10 individuals as
healthy control. Serum zinc levels were significantly (p<0.05) decreased in patient
group(76.25 ± 4.59 μg/dl ) when compared with healthy control (103.75 ± 3.77
μg/dl ) . C-reactive protein , as a mediator of innate immunity, removed damaged
cells by activating the classical complement pathway revealed elevated levels in
patients (4.36± 0.23mg/l ) when compared with the healthy control (2

This Study· is to investigate the Visceral LeishmaniEJ,sis among 8

susp<:;cted   infants and  young chUdren admitted  1o  AI-Khadhtmiya

Pediatric  Hospital   in Baghdad  between  January  1,2005 o August

31,2005  .For  each  patieni,   a  medical   history  was  obtained  and   a complete physical  examination  was  performed   by physicians  . The serums  of  the .suspected  c_es  were primarily diagnosed by using a new ,simple diagnostic method  bas.ed  on detecting antib9dies  against the  recombinant  K 39  

40 blood sample were taken from children infected with kala-azar at age less than ten years, who were admitted to El-Eskan child hospital, and central health laboratory in Baghdad. At the same time 15 sample collected from healthy child for comparing. During research estimated immunoglobulins level ( IgG, IgM, IgA) and (IFAT) IFAT test recorded a higher indicate antibodies level witch was synergistic with infected severity, the stander level of antibodies arrange between 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64 that means it graduate from the lowest one 1/16 into the highest one 1/64 within groups. During infectious the IgG ,IgM level recorded the higher level (2012.9 mg/dl) and (154.3 mg/dl) compared to the control group (874.3 mg/dl),

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic infection caused by an intracellular growth of Leishmania spp. in macrophage cells. The autoimmune disorder is a condition takes place when the immune system produces antibodies which incorrectly attacked its own body tissues. VL has been involved as an effect or on the autoimmune aspect. This study was conducted to identify the auto antibodies profile in patients infected with VL. The presences of auto antibodies in 21 Iraqi children infected with VL were tested for laboratory autoimmune aspect. The highest percentage of seropositive in Leishmania patients was observed for anti-ds DNA, anti-Mi-2, anti-Ku and anti-PCNA antibodies (90.5%, 90.5%, 90.5% and 61.9%) respectively, while the lowest percen

Back ground: Visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in the
middle and south of Iraq, it involves mostly infants. The
disease is observed mainly among rural areas that are far
from equipped medical centers. Therefore, there is a need
for anon- invasive, cost- effective, reliable, easily
available and fast method of diagnosis of this dngerous
disease.
Objective: The aim was to compare the validity and
predictive values of the recombinant K39 antigen (rK39)
test with that of the indirect fluorescent antibody test
(IFAT) test (the usual laboratory method) in the detection
of visceral leishmaniasis.
Methods: A Cross-sectional study was done in ALMansour Pediatric Hospital (in AL-Rusafa), and Central
Pediatric

Evaluation of Dot. ELISA test for Diagnosis Visceral Leishmaniasis in Infected Children

  For the first time in Iraq, this study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of Dot.ELISA, for detecting anti - Leishmania donovani antibodies in serum samples from suspected patient  (children under 8 years ) with Visceral Leishmaniasis V.L..  Sera from 73 V.L. , 60 Healthy controls, and 57   patient with other parasitic diseases other than V.L. (Amoebiasis, Giardiasis , Toxoplasmosis, Schistosomiasis , Hydatidosis, Ascariasis , Lupus Erythromatosus , Viral Hepatitis, and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis) were examined. Anti Leishmania donovani antibodies detected  in 71 out of 73  suspected Visceral Leishmaniasis . Data of this study showed that infection in male group was more than female group. Result o

The dipstick test was evaluated for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. We compared two types of dipstick (rKE16, rK39) tests . The sensitivity of both tests were determined using sera from fifty-two children suspected of having visceral leishmaniasis and thirty healthy children as a control group collected from Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatric in Baghdad. Fifty (96.15%) cases were confirmed to have infection by rKE16 dipstick test while, fourty-six (88.46%) cases were positive by rK39 dipstick test. Non of the sample taken from healthy control showed reactivity in any of these tests. The study indicated that rKE16 test had better sensitivity than rK39 in the diagnosis of VL(100%) ,(92 %) respectively.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease that affects public health. It is described by weight reduction, irregular fever bouts, anemia, and amplification of the spleen and liver.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar is one of the worlds most neglected tropical diseases in mortality and fourth in morbidity, rK39 dipstick was used to diagnose the suspected infected patients as cheapest simple technique which can differentiate recent from chronic infection, for disease out-coming, naïve T-lymphocyte cells should be differentiated into pathogen-specific immunity responses, such as T-helper 1(Th-1) or (Th-2). HLA-G is a special protein defined as nonclassical HLA class I molecule can suppress the immune system through prevention of T-cell function by foul all T-cell mechanisms. So, this study aimed to detect and evaluate the level of sHLA-G in the sera of patients infected with VL. The results showed that there was