TABLE 1 .
Human sample groups used in this study
| Groupa | Untreated subject serum |
Treated VL patient plasmab |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total no. | Mean age, yr (SD) | No. (%) of: |
No. (%) with clinical severityc of: |
Total no. | Mean age, yr (SD) | No. (%) of: |
No. of days after beginning of treatment |
||||||||
| Males | Females | U-VL | C-VL | S-VL | Males | Females | 0 | 5 | 90 | 180 | |||||
| VL | 187 | 27.2 (18.0) | 128 (68) | 59 (32) | 43 (35) | 65 (52) | 16 (13) | 23 | 35.2 (12.1) | 13 (56) | 10 (44) | 23 | 23 | 19 | 12 |
| ASYMPd | 177 | 36.4 (17.8) | 62 (35) | 115 (65) | NAe | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| ECf | 116 | 35.4 (19.6) | 36 (31) | 80 (69) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| NCg | 43 | 29.6 (10.1) | 20 (46) | 23 (54) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
VL patients (VL), asymptomatic individuals (ASYMP), and endemic controls (EC) were residing in Aracajú-SE or Teresina-PI (northeast), whereas nonendemic controls (NC) were from Ribeirão Preto-SP (southeast).
Plasma samples were collected at 0, 5, 90, and 180 days after the beginning of treatment.
Categories of clinical severity: U-VL, uncomplicated VL; C-VL, VL with complications (patients who required additional therapy, such as antibiotics or blood products); S-VL, severe VL (patients who had hemorrhagic complications and whose laboratory data indicated an increased risk of death).
Asymptomatic individuals were identified by a positive Montenegro skin test and/or positive antibody reactivity with L. infantum chagasi antigens.
NA, not applicable.
Endemic controls were identified by a negative Montenegro skin test and negative antibody reactivity with L. infantum chagasi antigens.
Nonendemic controls were identified by a negative Montenegro skin test and negative antibody reactivity with L. infantum chagasi antigens.