Immunoblot analysis of the humoral immune response to Leishmania donovani infantum polypeptides in human visceral leishmaniasis

Using the immunoblot technique, we have compared the reactions of Leishmania donovani infantum polypeptides with the immunoglobulin G of human sera from patients with parasitologically proven L. d. infantum infection, with suspected visceral leishmaniasis, and with other leishmaniases, protozoiases, helminthiases, and fungal or bacterial diseases. A 94-kDa component reacted with all L. d. infantum-infected sera and with 75% of sera from patients with clinical and serological but no parasitological diagnoses. No reaction was observed with sera from patients in the other disease groups or with control sera. Studies of eight different isolates, subspecies, and species of the genus Leishmania demonstrated that the 94-kDa component was expressed in all strains examined.