Acute phase protein concentrations predict parasite clearance rate during therapy for visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) remains a major health problem in Kenya and other parts of Africa, Central America and Asia. Currently, splenic aspirate smear and culture are the standard methods of monitoring therapy and relapse. Acute phase reactant markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A protein (SAA) and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) were evaluated as less invasive techniques for monitoring therapy in 59 patients with VL before, during and after therapy.

Problems in the treatment of kala-azar: case report.

Frequent relapses after treatment for visceral leishmaniasis and apparent parasitological cure is not commonly reported. Seven year old boy who relapsed four times with clinical and parasitological evidence of the disease at each two months follow-up period is presented. He had Leishimania donovani Kenya strain.

Phase 2 efficacy trial of an oral 8-aminoquinoline (WR6026) for treatment of visceral leishmaniasis.

The efficacy of an oral 8-aminoquinoline (8-[[6-(diethylamino)hexyl]amino]-6-methoxy-4-methylquinoline) (WR6026) in the treatment of 16 patients with kala azar was evaluated. The first 8 patients received therapy for 2 weeks at a dosage of 0.75-1.

Relationship between direct agglutination test and splenic aspirate smear parasite load in visceral leishmaniasis at Baringo District, Kenya.

Direct agglutination test was carried out in Baringo District on 100 persons presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of visceral leishmaniasis. Splenic aspirate smears and cultures were done on these 100 persons in order to parasitologically confirm the findings of the direct agglutination test. It was found that the direct agglutination test positively detected all 79 (79%) patients parasitologically confirmed to have visceral leishmaniasis.

Use of beef extract as a diluent in direct agglutination test for visceral leishmaniasis.

Direct Agglutination Tests (DAT) have been developed for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The objective of this study was to find a more suitable diluent for serum dilution in a Direct Agglutination Test. 1% of beef extract (BEX) was used as a diluent in the Direct Agglutination Test; 1% foetal bovine serum (FBS) and 0.