Detection of circulating Leishmania chagasi DNA for the non-invasive diagnosis of human infection

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 97; no. 4; pp. 391 - 395
• Main Authors: Disch, J., Maciel, F.C., de Oliveira, M.C., Orsini, M., Rabello, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2003; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; DNA, Protozoan - blood; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi; Leishmania - isolation & purification; Leishmaniasis, Visceral - diagnosis; Leshmaniasis; Medical sciences; Parasitemia - diagnosis; Parasitic diseases; Parasitology - methods; polymerase chain reaction; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Protozoal diseases; Sensitivity and Specificity; visceral leishmaniasis; South America; Brazil; America; Brazil; Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi; visceral leishmaniasis; polymerase chain reaction; Kinetoplastida; Human; Protozoa; Protozoal disease; Kala azar; Leishmaniasis; Parasitosis; Blood; Infection; Polymerase chain reaction; Leishmania chagasi; DNA; Tropical medicine; Diagnosis; Molecular biology; Detection
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/S0035-9203(03)90066-6

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Leishmania spp. DNA in peripheral blood was optimized and evaluated for the diagnosis of human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil during May 2001 to December 2002. Optimization of the technique resulted in a detection limit of 1.65 fg of purified L. (L.) chagasi DNA, equivalent to 1.65 × 10−2 parasites. Leishmania DNA was detected in the blood of 48 of 53 patients with parasitologically-confirmed VL, which corresponds to a sensitivity of 91%. No DNA was detected in the peripheral blood of 15 healthy, non-exposed volunteers, giving a specificity of 100%. We conclude that detection of parasite DNA in peripheral blood offers a non-invasive, sensitive and rapid method for the detection of VL caused by L. (L.) chagasi.