La prueba dot-Elisa para la detección de campo de la leishmaniasis visceral en Honduras

Abstract

The dot enzime-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot-Elisa), a rapid visually read microtechnique for serodiagnosis of human visceral lesihsmaniasis, was field-tested in a known endemic area in the Republic of Honduras. Of 305 individuals screened at a serum dilution of 1:32 positive reactions were observed in eight of nine parasitologically diagnosed visceral leishmaniasis patients who had received treatment, 13 of 45 family members of patients (a high-risk group), and eight of 244 randomly selected children in the endemic area. Cross-reactions were observed in one of three children with parasitologically confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis and three of four adults serologically positive for Chagas'disease. End-point titrations performed on the visceral leishmaniasis sera gave reciprocal titers ranging from 512 to 8 192 which are lower than those usually encountered in untreated active cases. This test does not require electricity, and all materials are easily transportable on foot. It is rapid, simple to perform, and inexpensive, yet sensitive and relatively specific under field condidtions. It could prove to be a valuable tool for primary health care facilities and for epidemiologic survey in the many endemic areas where no serologic testing capability currently exists