Leishmania tropica skin test antigen

Leishmania tropica skin test antigen (LtSTA) is a biologic preparation derived from Leishmania tropica promastigotes and used as an intradermal diagnostic agent to assess cell-mediated immunity against Leishmania species. The product is administered via intradermal injection and elicits a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response in individuals previously exposed to or infected with Leishmania parasites. This immune response is mediated by T helper 1 (Th1) cells that secrete interferon-gamma, recruiting macrophages and other inflammatory cells to the site of injection, resulting in visible induration typically measured at 48–72 hours post-injection. The size of the induration indicates prior exposure or immunity to Leishmania infection[4][5]. LtSTA has been evaluated for sensitivity and specificity in clinical trials; a 30 µg dose demonstrated high sensitivity (0.85) and specificity (0.97)[6]. It serves as an important epidemiological tool for surveillance of leishmaniasis transmission and monitoring vaccine-induced immunity[2][4].

Other names

leishmaninleishmanin skin test antigenMontenegro skin test antigen