Leishmaniasis is a clinically heterogeneous syndrome caused by intracellular protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. The clinical spectrum of leishmaniasis encompasses subclinical ( not apparent), localized (skin lesion), and disseminated (cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral) infection. This spectrum of manifestations depends on the immune status of the host, on the parasite, and on immunoinflammatory responses. Visceral leishmaniasis causes high morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Reliable laboratory methods become mandatory for accurate diagnosis, especially in immunocompromised patients such as those infected with HIV. In this article, we review the current state of the diagnostic tools for leishmaniasis, especially the serological test.

We investigated the effect of maslinic acid (a triterpene derivative obtained from olive pomace), on the susceptibility of plasma or hepatocyte membranes to lipid peroxidation (LPO), induced respectively by the hydroxyl radical (OH^.) generated by Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ ex vivo and by the system Fe³⁺/ascorbate in vitro; moreover, three groups of animals used in the plasma study were pretreated with CCl₄ (to generate CCl₃ ^-.). Endogenous plasma lipoperoxide levels and susceptibility to LPO were decreased in rats treated with maslinic acid, after exposure to OH^. by Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ (Fenton reaction). Co-incubation with maslinic acid prevented hepatocyte membrane LPO as shown by the reduction of TBARS. In conclusion, maslinic acid may offer some advantages in the resistance of oxidative stress in the animals.