Onyalo, Janet Achieng'Mwala, D. M.Anjili, C. O.Orago, A. S.Tonui, W. K.2014-01-162014-01-162005-04East Afr Med J. 2005 Apr;82(4):193-7.http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/8616BACKGROUND: Currently there is no vaccine available in use against any form of leishmaniases worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To assess potential of a live-attenuated Leishmania major promastigates, for protection against a challenge infection with L. major in BALB/c mice. DESIGN: A laboratory based study. SETTING: Study was carried out at Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi. RESULTS: The greatest protection against challenge with L. major was seen in mice immunised with live parasites (P < 0.001) compared to vaccinations with heat killed or soluble antigens. In general, immunised mice produced high level of antileishmanial antibodies and T cell stimulation to their respective antigens. CONCLUSIONS: Our live-attenuated parasites produced by serial sub-culture of L. major parasites 118 times showed the capacity to induce appropriate cell-mediated immune responses and protection against L. major infection in BALB/c mice. Data also suggests that these parasites do not revert to virulence when injected subcutaneously in mice.enArticle