title: Diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis: conventional and molecular techniques using different tissues.
abstract: Serology, bone marrow (BM)-, lymph node (LN)- and whole blood-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were evaluated as potential reference tests for the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis. A high degree of agreement (91.0%) was observed between Leishmania cultures and serology or BM/LN-PCR. In the light of these results as well as the access to biological test material and the cost of each method, LN-PCR is recommended for the diagnosis or therapeutic control of canine leishmaniasis, but BM-PCR is a suitable alternative in dogs without detectable adenomegaly. For large-scale epidemiological field studies, antibody detection is appropriate and whole blood-PCR can be used to complement the serological results.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Leishmanioses, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 96, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramada
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cristóvão
authors.forename: Luzia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Lenea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Campino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000469:parasitology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007891:Leishmania / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan