Visceral Leishmaniasis

Visceral Leishmaniasis: Therapeutics and Vaccines describes current therapeutics, natural anti-leishmanial molecules, anti-leishmanial screening, and explores vaccine candidates and amastigote-based vaccination strategies for Leishmania. The book provides a precise view on VL, Leishmania parasite culture, host immunity and immunomodulation, natural compounds effective against VL, animal models for VL, and methodologies available for anti-leishmanial drug screening procedures against VL, as well as vaccine and vaccination-related information on Leishmaniasis. Readers will find concrete information on past and current hurdles facing vaccine development for Leishmania, along with scientific opportunities and the potential impact of vaccines, including problems encountered.

The book is designed to increase the understanding of vaccines, particularly in VL, for students and researchers. Although vaccines are now available for many diseases, there are still challenges ahead for a vaccine for VL. The ideal vaccine must be safe and able to induce an immune response that is strong and effective. In a nutshell, a combination of chemotherapy (drugs) and immunoprophylaxis (vaccine) would be ideal to win the battle against VL.