Diagnosis and Treatment of Leishmania Infections

August 28, 2026 updated by: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Host Response to Infection and Treatment in Leishmania Infection of Humans

Patients admitted on this protocol must have an active Leishmania infection. The major objectives of the protocol are to diagnose and classify the Leishmania infection and to provide species-based therapy to study the natural history of the treated infection and further understand host and species characteristics that lead to resistant or relapsing disease. As part of the standard evaluation of these patients, biopsies to obtain parasite and host tissue will be obtained. The host response before and after therapy will be assessed to address broader questions related to diagnosis, disease pathogenesis, and response to therapy. Careful observations of the patients clinical and immunologic responses to therapy will be made, as well as long-term follow-up of these changes. It is anticipated that the patients will receive optimal clinical care for their infections and that the specimens collected from them will prove to be valuable reagents for the laboratory studies of the host responses unique to leishmanial infections.

Based on the nature of the disease and the recommended treatment, subjects will receive clinically appropriate treatment. Patients will undergo a limited physical examination to assess general condition, respiratory status, and skin condition. Following treatment patients are seen at 3 months and 12 months. Blood, lesion swabs, mucosal swabs, microbiopsies and/or skin biopsies will be collected for research evaluations. There will also be a mandatory check in (photos, telephone or telehealth visit) at 6 months. All of these post treatment timepoints are used to follow the course of the disease and management. Additional visits may be scheduled for clinically indicated procedures as guided by clinical status and need for evaluation. Samples collected from clinical evaluations may also be studied for research purposes and the results will be collected as part of this protocol. Participants enrolled can be assessed using an approved virtual platform. Study visits can be performed remotely if outside physicians are able to submit study specimens (blood samples, lesion and mucosal swabs).

The final study visit will typically be at 1 year following successful treatment. Blood will be collected, and swabs/microbiopsies may be collected for research evaluations at this visit. Follow up visits beyond the 1-year post-treatment point may occur on an annual basis if clinically necessary, as deemed by the investigator.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

Patients admitted on this protocol will have, or be suspected of having, a Leishmania infection. The major objectives of the protocol are to diagnose and classify the Leishmania infection and to provide species-based therapy to study the natural history of the treated infection and further understand host and species characteristics that lead to resistant or relapsing disease. As part of the standard evaluation of these patients, biopsies to obtain parasite and host tissue will be obtained. The host response before and after therapy will be assessed to address broader questions related to diagnosis, disease pathogenesis, and response to therapy. Careful observations of the patients clinical and immunologic responses to therapy will be made, as well as long-term follow-up of these changes. It is anticipated that the patients will receive optimal clinical care for their infections and that the specimens collected from them will prove to be valuable reagents for the laboratory studies of the host responses unique to leishmanial infections.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
289

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • Recruiting
        • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

3 years to 100 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This population of patients are referred from their physicians both regionally and nationally.

Description

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • Individuals aged 3 to 100 years.
  • Diagnosis of leishmaniasis:

A: Biopsy proven

OR

B: Likely diagnosis of leishmaniasis based on :

Epidemiologic exposure, clinical manifestations, and time course

  • Willingness to allow samples to be stored for future research.
  • Ability to provide informed consent.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Any condition that, in the judgment of the investigator, may put the participant at undue risk or make them unsuitable for participation in the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
1
This population of patients are referred from their physicians both regionally and nationally.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Obtain phenotypic and clinical information to document refractory and relapsing clinical courses.
Time Frame: 1 year
Obtain phenotypic and clinical information to document refractory and relapsing clinical courses.
1 year
Obtain organism genomic data at the initial time of NIH presentation and any further relapses
Time Frame: 1 year
Obtain organism genomic data at the initial time of NIH presentation and any further relapses
1 year
Obtain a basic immune workup and biobank PBMCs, plasma, and cultured leishmania isolates
Time Frame: 1 year
Obtain a basic immune workup and host genetic information (WGS)
1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assess the efficacy of varying treatment regimens in different species
Time Frame: 1 year
Assess the efficacy of varying treatment regimens in different species
1 year
Assess the safety profile of varying treatment regimens
Time Frame: 1 year
Assess the safety profile of varying treatment regimens
1 year
Determine if sequential quantitative qPCR for leishmania spp. from lesion(s) obtained by microbiopsy (nodular disease) or swabbing (ulcerative disease) correlates with healing
Time Frame: 1 year
Examine biomarkers as predictors of clinical course
1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Elise M O'Connell, M.D., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 30, 2001

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 23, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 23, 2006

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 26, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 18, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 010238
  • 01-I-0238

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

No.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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