The diagnosis of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) is hampered by the absence of a
gold standard. An accurate diagnosis is essential because of the high toxicity of the
medications for the disease. This study aimed to assess the ability of polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) to identify MCL and to compare these results with clinical
research recently published by the authors. A systematic literature review based on
the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: the PRISMA
Statement was performed using comprehensive search criteria and communication with
the authors. A meta-analysis considering the estimates of the univariate and
bivariate models was performed. Specificity near 100% was common among the papers.
The primary reason for accuracy differences was sensitivity. The meta-analysis, which
was only possible for PCR samples of lesion fragments, revealed a sensitivity of 71%
[95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.59; 0.81] and a specificity of 93% (95% CI = 0.83;
0.98) in the bivariate model. The search for measures that could increase the
sensitivity of PCR should be encouraged. The quality of the collected material and
the optimisation of the amplification of genetic material should be prioritised.
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