title: Serological survey with PCR validation for canine visceral leishmaniasis in northern Palestine.
abstract: Leishmania infantum is the causative agent of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in the Mediterranean region. A seroprevalence study for CVL was conducted in northern Palestine. Domestic dogs (n = 148) were screened for antileishmanial antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ten dogs (6.8%) were seropositive. Promastigotes were isolated from one seropositive dog and identified as L. infantum by excreted factor (EF) serotyping, isozyme electrophoresis, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition to the ELISA, the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1)-, modified ITS1 (mITS1)-, and kinetoplast DNA (kDNA)-PCRs were used to validate this technique as a diagnostic tool for CVL using blood; each assay was performed on 60 blood samples. kDNA-PCR (13/60 positives, 21.7%) was the most sensitive of the assays examined followed by mITS1-PCR (9/60, 15.0%), ELISA (5/60, 8.3%), and ITS1-PCR (3/60, 5%). However, ITS1-PCR and mITS1-PCR were also capable of identifying the parasite species and indicated they belong to L. infantum. In view of its higher sensitivity, kDNA-PCR is recommended for the routine diagnosis of CVL.
authors.affiliation: Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu-Deis, P.O. Box: 20760, West Bank, Palestinian Authority. abdm@pob.huji.ac.il
authors.forename: Abedelmajeed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasereddin
authors.forename: Suheir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ereqat
authors.forename: Kifaya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azmi
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdeen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000378:metabolism; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D017931:DNA Primers; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; C024403:GGCC-specific type II deoxyribonucleases