Performance of IFAT, ELISA, direct parasitological examination and PCR in lymph node aspirates for canine visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis

Camargo JB (1), Langoni H (1), Troncarelli MZ (1), Machado JG (1), Lucheis SB (1), Padovani CR (2)

(1) Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil; (2) Department of Biostatistics, Botucatu Bioscience Institute, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in numerous Brazilian regions. The greatest difficulty for the disease control is the diagnosis limitation. In the present study, the performance of the most common tests employed for VL diagnosis was compared: the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), the immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA), the direct parasitological examination and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Samples of lymph node aspirates and blood were collected from 100 dogs that lived in an endemic area (Bauru city, São Paulo state) and from 100 negative dogs from a non-endemic area (Botucatu city, São Paulo state), which comprised the control group. Specificity of both IFAT and PCR was 100% whereas ELISA was 99%. Sensitivity was 97.77%; 93.33% and 91.11% respectively for IFAT, ELISA and PCR.

KEY WORDS: visceral leishmaniasis, dog, diagnosis.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

JANAINA BIOTTO CAMARGO, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Júnior s/n, Botucatu, SP, 18.618-000, Brazil. Phone: +55 14 3811 6270. Fax: 55 14 3811 6075. Email: jbiotto@yahoo.com.br