title: Evaluation of the micro-CATT, CATT/Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, and LATEX/T b gambiense methods for serodiagnosis and surveillance of human African trypanosomiasis in West and Central Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the performance of serological tests using dried blood on filter-papers (micro-card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis (micro-CATT)) performed under field and laboratory conditions and using whole blood ((CATT/T.b. gambiense) (wb-CATT) and latex agglutination (LATEX/T.b. gambiense) (wb-LATEX)) for the serodiagnosis and surveillance of human African trypanosomiasis in West and Central Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the micro-CATT, wb-CATT and wb-LATEX methods in Côte d'Ivoire and the Central African Republic by screening 940 people. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each serological test; only patients with the confirmed presence of trypanosomes in the blood or lymph aspirate were considered true positives. Positive and negative predictive values were also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each of the tests showed a lower sensitivity in the Central African Republic than in Côte d'Ivoire.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirmed the efficiency of the classic wb-CATT to detect sleeping sickness patients. The micro-CATT method can be used for human African trypanosomiasis surveillance if the test is performed on the same day as the blood collection, or if samples are stored at 4 degrees C. Otherwise, micro-CATT can be used when absolute sensitivity is not required. wb-LATEX should only be used for high-specificity screening.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Organisation de Coordination pour la Lutte contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale, Yaoundé, Cameroon. truc@iccnet.cm
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Truc
authors.forename: Veerle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lejon
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magnus
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jamonneau
authors.forename: Auguste
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nangouma
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Verloo
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Penchenier
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Büscher
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002488:Central African Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000592:standards*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D014347:Trypanosoma brucei gambiense / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan