Detection of Leishmania donovani using ITS1-RFLP from positive and negative smear samples among clinically reported patients visiting University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis is caused by the Leishmania donovani species complex that can spread to internal organs and leading to death if not treated on time. Diagnosis of leishmaniasis is based on clinical signs and symptoms, microscopy, serological and molecular techniques. Because of a broad spectrum of diverse clinical manifestations and similarities of the responses to different species, identification to the species level is often difficult for the proper patient treatment and management.