Comparative evaluation of freeze-dried and liquid antigens in the direct agglutination test for serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (ITMA-DAT/VL).

Objective: The direct agglutination test (DAT) for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) with liquid (LQ) antigen is known to be only moderately reproducible because of inter-observer and batch-to-batch variability as well as its sensitivity to temperature and shaking during transport. We evaluated a DAT with freeze-dried (FD) antigen and compared it with the LQ antigen version.

Methods: Blood samples of clinical VL suspects and healthy endemic controls were collected in Sudan, Nepal and India.

Susceptibility of Grammomys surdaster thicket rats to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection.

Human African Trypanosomiasis is caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense.

Intrathecal immune response pattern for improved diagnosis of central nervous system involvement in trypanosomiasis.

Diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in human African trypanosomiasis is crucial in determination of therapy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum immunoglobulin concentrations, blood-CSF barrier dysfunction, pattern of intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis, trypanosome-specific antibody synthesis, and CSF lactate concentrations were analyzed in 272 patients with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection. As part of the 2- or 3-class immune response, the predominant intrathecal IgM synthesis was the most sensitive (95%) marker for inflammation of the brain.

The serum resistance-associated gene as a diagnostic tool for the detection of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

In the search for new diagnostic methods that would distinguish Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense from T. b. brucei and T.

Evaluation of the micro-CATT, CATT/Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, and LATEX/T b gambiense methods for serodiagnosis and surveillance of human African trypanosomiasis in West and Central Africa.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of serological tests using dried blood on filter-papers (micro-card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis (micro-CATT)) performed under field and laboratory conditions and using whole blood ((CATT/T.b. gambiense) (wb-CATT) and latex agglutination (LATEX/T.

Novel primer sequences for polymerase chain reaction-based detection of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.

Progress in diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) depends on the existence of specific and sensitive diagnostic tools. Inherent shortcomings of serologic and parasitologic diagnostic methods can be overcome by molecular techniques. Therefore, we have developed a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test using primers derived from the recently identified sequence of the Trypanosoma brucei gambiense-specific glycoprotein (TgsGP).

Evaluation of an EDTA version of CATT/Trypanosoma brucei gambiense for serological screening of human blood samples.

CATT/Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, a direct card agglutination test designed for field surveys on human African trypanosomosis, is currently used with freshly collected heparinized blood samples. When testing serum samples, it has been observed earlier that, at lower sample dilutions, a complement-mediated inhibition phenomenon may cause false negative test results. This can be avoided by adding an anticomplementary agent such as di-sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate dihydrate (EDTA) to the reaction.