Efficiency of noninvasive sampling methods (swab) together with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for diagnosing American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis

• Main Authors: Sara Macente Boni, Luiza Keiko Oyafuso, Rita de Cassia Soler, José Angelo Lauletta Lindoso
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo
• Series: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Subjects: Tegumentary Leishmaniasis; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Swab; Leishmania braziliensis
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46652017005000220&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Traditional diagnostic methods used to detect American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis, such as histopathology using biopsy samples, culture techniques, and direct search for parasites, have low sensitivity and require invasive collection procedures. This study evaluates the efficiency of noninvasive sampling methods (swab) along with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for diagnosing American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis using skin and mucous samples from 25 patients who had tested positive for leishmaniasis. The outcome of the tests performance on swab samples was compatible with PCR results on biopsy samples. The findings have also shown that PCR-kDNA test is more efficient than PCR-HSP70 and qPCR tests (sensitivity of 92.3%, 40.7%, and 41%, respectively). Given the high sensitivity of the tests and the fact that the sampling method using swabs affords greater patient comfort and safety, it could be said that this method is a promising alternative to conventional biopsy-based methods for the molecular diagnosis of leishmaniasis.