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  • American Cutaneous Leishman...
    Delobel, Pierre; Launois, Pascal; Djossou, Felix; Sainte-Marie, Dominique; Pradinaud, Roger

    Clinical infectious diseases, 09/2003, Volume: 37, Issue: 5
    Journal Article

    Cutaneous leishmaniasis, leprosy, and tuberculosis are caused by intracellular pathogens whose development depends on impaired cell-mediated immunity. We report an exceptional triple association of American cutaneous leishmaniasis, lepromatous leprosy, and pulmonary tuberculosis in a man with no recognized immunodeficiency. Normal immunological assessment of the interferon-γ pathway does not support the hypothesis of a genetic defect in any of the genes involved in the T helper (Th)-1 cytokine cascade in this patient. Unresponsiveness to interleukin (IL)-12 of his T cells after stimulation with Leishmania guyanensis, Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin, and Mycobacterium leprae antigens suggested the inability to mount an appropriate Th cell response to upregulate the IL-12 receptor expression.