Application of Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) and Fast Agglutination Screening Test (FAST) for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in endemic area of Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Abstract:
We have tested fast agglutination screening test (FAST) and direct agglutination test (DAT) for the detection anti-Leishmania antibodies in serum samples from patients with American visceral (AVL) and cutaneous leishmaniases (ACL) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The DAT on serum and blood samples of confirmed AVL patients found all samples positive at a serum dilution of ≥ 1:800. This dilution was subsequently used as cut off value in the study. The blood and serum samples of these confirmed patients could also be clearly read in FAST using a 1:100 dilution with the same high sensitivity. DAT and FAST were not able to detect significant amounts of antibodies in samples from ACL patients and are not suitable for the diagnosis of this manifestation of the disease. We conclude that both DAT and FAST are very practical diagnostic tools for the serodiagnosis of AVL under rural conditions as both serological tests do not require sophisticated equipment, a cold chain and are very simple to perform.
Authors:
Silva, E.S.
,
Schoone, G.J.
,
Gontijo, C.M.F.
,
Brazil, R.P.
,
Pacheco, R.S.
,
Schallig, H.D.F.H.
Country:
Brazil
Category:
Research
Serial number:
4
ISSN:
1475-9292
Volume:
4
Journal:
Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease
Keywords:
health
,
disease prevention and control
Language:
eng
Organization:
KIT - Royal Tropical Institute
PAGE:
5
Year:
2005
Region:
Latin America
,
South America
Right:
© 2005 BioMedCentral. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Subject:
Health and Nutrition
Title:
Application of Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) and Fast Agglutination Screening Test (FAST) for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in endemic area of Minas Gerais, Brazil