Santos, Fernanda NunesBorja Cabrera, Gulnara PatriciaMyashiro, L. M.Grechi, JulianaReis, Alexandre BarbosaMoreira, Márcio Antônio BatistelaMartins Filho, Olindo AssisLuvizotto, Maria Cecília RuiMenz, IngridPessôa, L. M.Gonçalves, Pablo RodriguesPalatnik, MarcosSouza, Clarisa Beatriz Palatnik de2012-07-102012-07-102007SANTOS, F. N. et al. Immunotherapy against experimental canine visceral leishmaniasis with the saponin enriched-Leishmune ® vaccine. Vaccine, v. 25, n. 33, p. 6176-6190, ago. 2007. Disponível em: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X07006810>. Acesso em: 10 jul. 2012.0264410Xhttp://www.repositorio.ufop.br/handle/123456789/1042In order to assess the immunotherapeutic potential on canine visceral leishmaniasis of the Leishmune ® vaccine, formulated with an increased adjuvant concentration (1 mg of saponin rather than 0.5 mg), 24 mongrel dogs were infected with Leishmania (L.) chagasi . The enriched-Leishmune ® vaccine was injected on month 6, 7 and 8 after infection, when animals were seropositive and symptomatic. The control group were injected with a saline solution. Leishmune ® -treated dogs showed significantly higher levels of anti-FML IgG antibodies (ANOVA; p < 0.0001), a higher and stable IgG2 and a decreasing IgG1 response, pointing to a TH1 T cell mediated response. The vaccine had the following effects: it led to more positive delayed type hypersensitivity reactions against Leishmania lysate in vaccinated dogs (75%) than in controls (50%), to a decreased average of CD4+ Leishmania -specific lymphocytes in saline controls (32.13%) that fell outside the 95% confidence interval of the vaccinees (41.62%, CI95% 43.93–49.80) and an increased average of the clinical scores from the saline controls (17.83) that falls outside the 95% confidence interval for the Leishmune ® immunotherapy-treated dogs (15.75, CI95% 13.97–17.53). All dogs that received the vaccine were clustered, and showed lower clinical scores and normal CD4+ counts, whereas 42% of the untreated dogs showed very diminished CD4+ and higher clinical score. The increase in clinical signs of the saline treated group was correlated with an increase in anti-FML antibodies (p < 0.0001), the parasitological evidence ( p = 0.038) and a decrease inLeishmania -specific CD4+ lymphocyte proportions (p = 0.035). These results confirm the immunotherapeutic potential of the enriched-Leishmune ® vaccine. The vaccine reduced the clinical symptoms and evidence of parasite, modulating the outcome of the infection and the dog’s potential infectiosity to phlebotomines. The enriched-Leishmune ® vaccine was subjected to a safety analysis and found to be well tolerated and safeen-USImmunotherapyLeishmuneVaccineCanine visceral leishmaniasisArtigo publicado em periodicoO periódico Vaccine concede permissão para depósito deste artigo no Repositório Institucional da UFOP. Número da licença: 3291410128861.