Evaluation of direct agglutination test, rk39 Test, and ELISA for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008 Jul;79(1):76-8.

Abstract

The study reports an evaluation of the direct agglutination test (DAT) with use of promastigote/amastigote antigen, rk39 strip test, and ELISA for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Out of 94 clinically suspected VL patients, 16 (17%) were seropositive by all the techniques; in addition, 6 were positive in rk39 strip test and ELISA. On retrospective analysis, out of 16 positive by all the techniques, 11 (69%) had demonstrable Leishmania donovani (LD) bodies in their bone marrow samples, while in 5 bone marrow was not examined. Out of 6 that were positive by ELISA and rk39 strip test, 2 had myelofibrosis and 4 had chronic myeloid leukemia. On the basis of bone marrow aspirate positivity, the sensitivity and specificity of DAT were 100% while those of rk39 strip test and ELISA were 100% and 87%, respectively. The study suggests that DAT appears to be the best technique for the serodiagnosis of VL.

MeSH terms

  • Agglutination Tests / methods*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / immunology
  • Antigens, Protozoan* / immunology
  • Bone Marrow / parasitology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Humans
  • Leishmania donovani / immunology*
  • Leishmania donovani / isolation & purification
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / diagnosis*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / immunology
  • Protozoan Proteins* / immunology
  • Reagent Strips
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Reagent Strips