The main findings were : @ ) dogs that received rLdccys@ with P. acnes did not display increase of the following clinical signs : weight loss , alopecia , onychogryphosis , cachexia , anorexia , apathy , skin lesions , hyperkeratosis , ocular secretion , and enlarged lymph nodes ; they also exhibited a significant reduction in the spleen parasite load in comparison to the control dogs ; @ ) rLdccys@-treated dogs exhibited a significant delayed type cutaneous hypersensitivity elicited by the recombinant antigen , as well as high IgG@ serum titers and low IgG@ serum titers ; sera from rLdccys@-treated dogs also contained high IFN - and low IL-@ concentrations ; @ ) control dogs exhibited all of the clinical signs of visceral leishmaniasis and had low serum IgG@ and IFN - levels and high concentrations of IgG@ and IL-@ ; @ ) all of the dogs treated with rLdccys@ were alive @ months after treatment , whereas dogs which received either saline or P. acnes alone died within @ to @ months .