Th2 responses predominate during the early phases of infection in patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis and precede the development of Th1 responses.

Intralesional Th2 responses preceded the development of Th1 responses in localized cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania guyanensis. Although the number of parasites increased in Th2 lesions, no correlation was found between the levels of cytokine expression and the number of parasites. In contrast, the decreased number of parasites in Th1 lesions is negatively correlated to gamma interferon expression.