Comparative evaluation of PCR and imprint smear microscopy analyses of skin biopsy specimens in diagnosis of macular, papular, and mixed papulo-nodular lesions of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis.
Diagnosis of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), particularly the macular form, is difficult when based on microscopy. This study compared the results of nested PCR (91.9% positive samples) with imprint smear microscopy (70.9% positive samples) for 62 PKDL samples. We found that nested PCR, which indicated 87.5% positivity for the macular lesions, compared to 41.6% positivity by imprint smear microscopy, is an efficient method for early diagnosis of PKDL.
Department of Pathology.
Neena
N
Verma
Dharmendra
D
Singh
Krishna
K
Pandey
Vidya Nand Rabi
VN
Das
Chandra Shekhar
CS
Lal
Rakesh Bihari
RB
Verma
Prabhat Kumar
PK
Sinha
Pradeep
P
Das
D001706:Biopsy; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology