Sensitivity and specificity of the Leishmania OligoC-TesT and NASBA-oligochromatography for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in Kenya.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the OligoC-TesT and nucleic acid sequence-based amplification coupled to oligochromatography (NASBA-OC) for molecular detection of Leishmania in blood from patients with confirmed visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and healthy endemic controls from Kenya.


METHODS
Blood specimens of 84 patients with confirmed VL and 98 endemic healthy controls from Baringo district in Kenya were submitted to both assays.


RESULTS
The Leishmania OligoC-TesT showed a sensitivity of 96.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 90-98.8%) and a specificity of 88.8% (95% CI: 81-93.6%), while the sensitivity and specificity of the NASBA-OC were 79.8% (95% CI: 67-87%) and 100% (95% CI: 96.3-100%), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate high sensitivity of the Leishmania OligoC-TesT on blood while the NASBA-OC is a better marker for active disease.
Basiye
Frank L
FL
Centre for Clinical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Mbuchi
Margaret
M
Magiri
Charles
C
Kirigi
George
G
Deborggraeve
Stijn
S
Schoone
Gerard J
GJ
Saad
Alfarazdeg A
AA
El-Safi
Sayda
S
Matovu
Enock
E
Wasunna
Monique K
MK
D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021161:Self-Sustained Sequence Replication / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D016053:RNA, Protozoan