title: Visceral leishmaniasis in the Syrian Arab Republic: early detection using rK39.
abstract: Leishmaniasis causes significant morbidity and mortality in areas where it is endemic. A seroprevalence survey was conducted in 2 endemic villages in Daraa, Syrian Arab Republic, where 80 out of 345 children (23.2%) tested positive for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) using rK39 dipstick test. Only 10 cases were symptomatic (12.5%), and 27.5% were positive by ELISA test. All the sera (N = 138) obtained from the control village were negative. Of the rK39 initially positive cases, 52 had seroconverted to negative 9 months later, 55 remained ELISA negative, and none developed the full-blown disease. Being faster and less expensive than other diagnostic tests, rK39 is a rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for symptomatic cases of VL in remote areas with poor accessibility to health services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Damascus, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Nahhas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shabaan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hammoud
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Taweel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Jorf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000191:economics; D011934:Reagent Strips / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011934:Reagent Strips; C079253:K39 antigen, Leishmania