Protective immunity requires CD8 memory T cells and CD4 helper T cell-derived cytokines such as IFN-γ that elicit sporozoite-neutralizing antibodies and inhibit LS development mainly through upregulation of iNOS and induction of NO in the infected hepatocytes (Doolan and Martinez-Alier, 2006; Nardin, 2010; Dups et al., 2014). Here, IFNG is linked to Leigh syndrome.