Detection of Leishmania kDNA in human serum samples for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.

Abstract	The performance of PCR to detect Leishmania kDNA in serum for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was assessed in serum samples from 65 patients with VL, 17 non-infected individuals and 17 patients with other febrile hepatosplenic diseases. Serum PCR showed a sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 100% and efficiency of 90%. The sensitivity values obtained for blood PCR (97%) and rK39 ELISA (95%) were significantly higher (P=0.01) than the values observed for L. chagasi ELISA (88%) and serum PCR (85%), whilst no difference was observed among the specificity rates obtained with rK39 ELISA (94%; P=0.47) and L. chagasi ELISA (85%; P=0.06). This work suggests that the use of serum samples may be an alternative for the diagnosis of VL when peripheral blood samples are not available or require significant operational efforts.
Authors	Tália Santana Machado de Assis, Rachel Basques Caligiorne, Gustavo Adolfo Sierra Romero, Ana Rabello
Journal	Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 103 Issue 12 Pg. 1269-72 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1878-3503 [Electronic] England
PMID	18774151 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References	Antibodies, Protozoan Antigens, Protozoan Antiprotozoal Agents DNA, Kinetoplast Organometallic Compounds Meglumine Meglumine Antimoniate
Topics	Adolescent Adult Antibodies, Protozoan (blood) Antigens, Protozoan (blood) Antiprotozoal Agents (administration & dosage) Brazil (epidemiology) Child Child, Preschool DNA, Kinetoplast (blood) Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Female Humans Infant Leishmania (immunology) Leishmaniasis, Visceral (blood, diagnosis, drug therapy) Male Meglumine (administration & dosage) Meglumine Antimoniate Middle Aged Organometallic Compounds (administration & dosage) Polymerase Chain Reaction Sensitivity and Specificity Young Adult

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