The influence of copper, selenium and zinc on the response to the Montenegro skin test in subjects vaccinated against American cutaneous leishmaniasis.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study, published as a randomized controlled trial.

The researchers evaluated the relationship between the trace elements copper, zinc and selenium and the response to the Montenegro skin test (MST) in 172 volunteers vaccinated against American cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The MST diameter was categorized as negative and in quartiles of positive response, constituting five groups.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 172 volunteers were involved.

The age groups tagged for this paper are young children, children, teenagers, adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized.

Because people in this study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

What Was Measured

The researchers evaluated the relationship between the trace elements copper, zinc and selenium and the response to the Montenegro skin test (MST) in 172 volunteers vaccinated against American cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Trace element serum levels were analyzed by coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, with study subjects classified into two groups depending on low or high levels of trace elements observed.

The subject headings attached to it are Brazil, Copper, Leishmaniasis Vaccines, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous, Selenium, Skin Tests and Zinc.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study in 172 volunteers.

The publication is from 2008 (Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene), a journal based in England.

More context: all human trials.