Publication: Comparative Study of Microscopy and Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Diagnosis of Suspected Visceral Leishma- niasis Patients in Nepal
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Visceral leishmaniasis is potentially fatal protozoan diseases caused by Leishmania
donovani. Nepal is an endemic region in which visceral leishmaniasis causes a major
public health problem in the lowland areas that border the endemic areas of Bihar
state in India. Accurate diagnosis to inform treatment is a first step in achieving the
goal of visceral leishmaniasis elimination from South East Asian regions by 2020.
Objective
The objective of the present study was to compare between the Microcopy and
polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.
Methods
In the present study, 236 bone marrow aspirations were collected from suspected
visceral leishmaniasis patients in Janakpur Zonal Hospital, Dhanusa district, Terai
region of Nepal in between 2003-2007. We evaluated bone marrow samples
by microscopic examination with subsequent testing of the same sample by
polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis.
Results
Giemsa’s solution stained bone marrow slides stored for over five years were used
for polymerase chain reaction amplification. The result showed that 71% were
polymerase chain reaction positive and 56% were microscopic positive. Out of
104 microscopic negative bone marrow samples, 15% of samples were positive by
polymerase chain reaction.
Conclusion
Polymerase chain reaction could make a very good option for diagnosis by using
less or non-invasive material from visceral leishmaniasis patients in endemic areas
of Nepal.
KEY WORDS
Diagnosis, microscopy, Nepal, polymerase chain reaction, visceral leishmaniasis
Description
Pandey K,1 Mallik AK,2 Pyakurel S,3 Pun SB,4 Pandey BD1,4
1Everest International Clinic and Research Center Kathmandu, Nepal
2Janakpur Zonal Hospital, Janakpur, Nepal
3University Centre for Rural Health, North Coast Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
4Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital Kathmandu, Nepa