title: The method used to sample ulcers influences the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
abstract: Before beginning treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis, parasitological confirmation of the disease is required. The most commonly used diagnostic procedures are microscopy and culture of samples taken from the active edge of the lesion. In this study, we compared the sensitivity of previous diagnostic procedures with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using smears taken from the edge of the lesion and its centre. The sensitivity was greater with smears taken from the centre of the lesion, both for microscopical examination (85%) and for PCR (81%), compared to those obtained from the edge of the lesion (69% and 58% respectively). When PCR was carried out on biopsy material from the edge of the lesion the sensitivity was 63%.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales (PECET), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Carrera 50a No. 63-85, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ramírez José
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agudelo
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muskus
authors.forename: Juan Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Alzate
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berberich
authors.forename: Douglas C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Iván Darío
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Vélez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan