Primary data from human Lutzomyia longipalpis challenge study by Abdeladhim et al.

Primary dataset from a human challenge study with the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis, the primary vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas. Fifteen participants were exposed multiple times to the bites of uninfected sand flies. Immediate and delayed rash and pruritus at the bite sites were recorded. Two participants provided skin biopsies from bite sites to perform hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative RT-PCR of TH cytokines. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from participants after multiple sand fly exposures and were stimulated ex vivo with either Lutzomyia salivary gland extract (SGE) or a recombinant Lutzomyia salivary protein. Two salivary proteins were found to induce strong IFN-γ responses, LJM19 and LJL143. The dataset contains results from the IFN-γ screening ELISA and multiplex cytokine bead array for PBMCs stimulated with SGE, LJM19, or LJL143. Macrophage killing of Leishmania parasites was measured by co-culturing macrophages infected with Leishmania infantum with PBMCs stimulated by PHA, LJM19, or LJL143.