Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Update on Vaccine Development

Leishmaniasis is an important disease mediated by the protozoan parasite Leishmania via the bite of the female sandfly insect vector. Leishmaniasis is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. The most common form of the disease is cutaneous leishmaniasis, which affects more than 10 million people worldwide and includes at least 1.5 million new cases every year. So far, treatment of the disease relies on unsatisfactory chemotherapy that can be complicated by the rising appearance of drug-resistant parasites. Furthermore, it is challenging to achieve solid control of the insect vector and animal reservoir. Therefore, the development of a safe and effective vaccine is urgently needed for the treatment and prevention of leishmaniasis. This review focuses on the recent advances in the development of a safe vaccine that could be used for prevention and treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. A short outlook for future research efforts is also presented.