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Animal Models of Visceral Leishmaniasis and Applicability to Disease Control

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Kala Azar in South Asia

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Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also called kala-azar, is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and is often fatal if not treated. The disease is caused by the Leishmania donovani complex, which includes L. donovani and L. infantum/chagasi. Because of a lack of or limited availability of vaccines or chemotherapeutics for VL, extensive preclinical studies using various animal models have been undertaken to explore therapeutic strategies to overcome the disease. Mice, hamsters, dogs, and non-human primates have been studied, each of which has advantages and disadvantages depending on the purpose. Herein, we review the experimental models of VL, with an emphasis on murine models for L. donovani infection.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Yasutaka Osada, Satoko Omachi, Chizu Sanjoba & Yoshitsugu Matsumoto

Authors
  1. Yasutaka Osada
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  2. Satoko Omachi
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  3. Chizu Sanjoba
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  4. Yoshitsugu Matsumoto
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Correspondence to Yasutaka Osada .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Tokyo Hospital, Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan

    E. Noiri

  2. Kalazar Research Center, Muzaffarpur, India

    T.K. Jha

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Osada, Y., Omachi, S., Sanjoba, C., Matsumoto, Y. (2016). Animal Models of Visceral Leishmaniasis and Applicability to Disease Control. In: Noiri, E., Jha, T. (eds) Kala Azar in South Asia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47101-3_23

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