CD40LG and visceral leishmaniasis: Patients with visceral leishmaniasis develop hypergammaglobulinemia and autoantibodies, including anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMAs), anti-dsDNA antibodies, IgM anti-cardiolipin antibodies, and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF), which resemble those of rheumatic autoimmune diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (Voulgari et al., 2003; Ossadron et al., 2006; Sakkas et al., 2008).