Diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis by the polymerase chain reaction using blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples from patients from the Sudan

Abstract

We have evaluated the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool for Leishmania donavani using blood, bone marrow and lymph node samples from Sudanese patients with a confirmed infection. Forty patients were diagnosed by microscopic examination of bone marrow or lymph node samples. The PCR was able to detect parasite DNA in 17 out of 40 blood samples. In bone marrow and lymph node samples, the PCR was able to detect parasite DNA in all 7 and 6, samples, respectively. We suggest that the PCR should be considered as a valuable and sensitive tool for the diagnosis of 1. donavani infection. However, if PCR diagnosis is to supplement or even replace microscopic diagnosis in developing countries, a large number of patients with no apparent signs of infection and patients with other diseases have to he tested in order to evaluate its true potential.