title: Usefulness of sampling with cotton swab for PCR-diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World.
abstract: In this study, we tested the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-method to diagnose cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) by taking exudate materials from lesions with cotton swabs, using our previously tested (PCR) panel comprised of Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis, L. (V.) braziliensis, L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (Leishmania) mexicana and L. (L.) amazonensis. The objectives of the present study were to improve the sampling method convenient for the patients and to test the usefulness of samples taken with cotton swabs. Sixteen patients were clinically diagnosed to have CL including one case of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) in Ecuador and the causative Leishmania parasites were identified by PCR. All the 12 samples from CL patients of La Mana, positive for Leishmania DNA, were identified as L. (V.) panamensis, while two from CL of Huigra and one from DCL of San Ignacio were L. (L.) mexicana. In the field condition, taking biopsy material is not only painful but sometimes causes iatrogenic bacterial infections. Considering the sensitivity of the test, and convenient sampling procedure, it may be suggested that collection of exudates using cotton swabs may be a better alternative to biopsy sample for PCR-diagnosis of CL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Genetics and Biology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Honjo 2-2-1, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan. tmimori@kaiju.medic.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mimori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Calvopiña
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katakura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nonaka
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shamsuzzaman
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashiguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004484:Ecuador; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan