[The use of leukinferon in treating zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. 1. Research on an experimental model in mice]. / Primenenie leikinferona v lechenii zoonoznogo kozhnogo leishmanioza. 1. Issledovanie na éksperimental'noi modeli u myshei.

Leukinferon, a drug made in this country, represents a complex of cytokines of the immune response first phase with the predominating activities of interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, macrophage- and leukocyte-inhibiting factors and alpha-interferon; its effects on the murine immune system and on peritoneal macrophagal culture are diverse. Leukinferon activates phagocytosis and killing of L. major promastigotes with peritoneal macrophages. In vivo leukinferon in combination with monomycin had a marked effect on L. major infection in CBA mice, particularly at the tubercle stage. The cure is attained sooner than with monomycin therapy alone. Combined therapy of the ulcers was found less effective in BALB/c mice highly sensitive to the infection. In Swiss mice infected with L. major a prolongation of the incubation period and a more benign course of the infection were observed after a course of leukinferon injections.

[The use of leukinferon in treating zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. 2. Patient treatment]. / Primenenie leikinferona v lechenii zoonoznogo kozhnogo leishmanioza. 2. Lechenie bol'nykh.

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis was treated by a combination of monomycin and an immunotherapeutic agent, leukinferon, representing a complex of cytokines of the first phase of in vitro immune response of human leukocytes with the predominance of the activities of interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, macrophage- and leukocyte-inhibiting factors, and alpha-interferon. A total of 182 patients were treated in endemic foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Uzbekistan, 115 patients were followed up. Ointment applications (1000 U) or i.m. injections of leukinferon every 3-4 days were used in the treatment of 50 patients. Monomycin was administered only locally--as an ointment or collagen sponge ("leishmacol"). The best results were attained with combined therapy including i.m. leukinferon and local monomycin. The treatment duration was 3 weeks in grave complicated cases and 2 weeks in cases with a benign course of the disease. Local therapy with any of the drugs alone or combined was less effective, and lasted for about 1.5 months. The combined method is convenient for outpatient therapy, for it helps do without numerous daily injections that are necessary in parenteral monomycin therapy. Another advantage of combined therapy of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is an essential reduction of the total dose of monomycin, a highly toxic drug.