title: Comparative evaluation of ELISAs based on ten recombinant or purified Leishmania antigens for the serodiagnosis of Mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: This study compared a panel of 10 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the serodiagnosis of Mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (MVL). The ELISAs were based on either one of the following Leishmania antigens: crude soluble Leishmania antigens (SLAs), recombinant (r) antigens (namely: rgp63, rK39, gene B protein, r H2A and r H2B histones proteins, rLACK, rPSA-2, r P20) and purified lipophosphoglycan. Most of the test antigens showed good performance (sensitivity > 85%, specificity > 80%). rK39 and SLA-based ELISA gave the best results in terms of sensitivity (100%) and predictive value of the negative (100%). The best specificity (97%) and the best predictive value of the positive (92%) were obtained with rK39. These results show that several Leishmania antigens are suitable to design a diagnostic ELISA of MVL. However, recombinant proteins add little to the classic crude SLA, which still represents a very good and less costly alternative.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'immunologie (LAF301), Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ibtissem Abdmouleh
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Maalej
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chenik
authors.forename: Hechmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Louzir
authors.forename: Afif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.forename: Chokri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bahloul
authors.forename: Fethi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amri
authors.forename: Koussay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dellagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D011994:Recombinant Proteins