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Comparison of Direct Agglutination Test (DAT), Indirect Immunofluorescent Antibody (IFAT) and ELISA in Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis
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Mahmood Mahami *   , Mahdi Mohebali , Hosein Keshavarz , Zabihollah Zareei |
| , mahmood_mahamiy@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: (12030 Views) |
Background & Objective: Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) is an infectious-parasitic disease occurring sporadically in various parts of Iran. The disease is endemic in Ardabil, East Azarbaijan, Bushehr and Fars provinces. This study was performed with the aim of evaluation and comparison of direct agglutination test (DAT), indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFAT) and ELISA in sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis that is following a seroepidemiological survey in Germi district of Ardabil province.
Methods: Cluster sampling has been performed from ≤12 years old and 10% of the adult population in Germi district. Altogether 1155 blood specimens were collected to detect anti- Leishmania antibodies. The samples were tested by direct agglutination test (DAT), indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFAT) and ELISA methods.
Results: 32 (2.8%) of the collected specimens have anti-Leishmania antibodies with titers ≥1:800 and from total specimens 7 (0.6%) were positive with ≥1:3200 titers. In IFA test 32 (2.8%) have titers ≥1:40 and from total specimens 6 (0.52%) were positive with ≥1:320 titers. In ELISA test 8 specimens were positive and other specimens were negative.
Conclusions: According to the results of this study, IFAT and ELISA are specific and high sensitive tests for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis but these methods are expensive and require the complicated tools. Whereas, DAT is a simple method, not expensive and require a simple local laboratory with one or two trained technicians. Therefore DAT could be used for seroepidemiological studies and sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in endemic areas instead of IFA and ELISA methods. |
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| Keywords: Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar), DAT, IFAT, ELISA |
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Full-Text [PDF 165 kb]
(4249 Downloads)
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Type of Study: article |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2007/01/16 | Accepted: 2008/05/9 | Published: 2008/12/13
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