Usefulness of sampling with cotton swab for PCR-diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World

Are Cytochrome B Gene Sequencing and Polymorphism-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction as Reliable as Multilocus Enzyme Electrophoresis for Identifying Leishmania Spp. From Argentina?

“…Among the properties of these two molecular methods supporting their applicability in field studies, it should be highlighted that they may not require the isolation and mass cultivation of the parasites, since they can be performed on samples taken directly from the patient (host) lesions and tissues, or from vectors, 19,21 in contrast with the huge amount of parasites required by MLEE method; the two methods need relatively shorter times than MLEE for processing; and in the case of PS-PCR, the technique could be applied in laboratories of relatively few resources to analyze great numbers of samples. Nevertheless, the application of the PS-PCR method is only restricted to the differentiation of the 5 major Leishmania spp.-braziliensis, guyanensis, panamensis, amazonensis, and mexicana, responsible for ATL.…”

Epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Ecuador: current status of knowledge - A review

“…In some way the sensitivity of PCR depended on the sample taken, from skin biopsies and exudates using cotton swabs it reached to 92% and 93.8%, respectively (Aviles et al 1999, Calvopina et al 2001b, Mimori et al 2002, but using scrape/exudates or syringe-sucked fluid the sensitivities decrease to 70% (Matsumoto et al 1999). The before collection procedures should be validated on large samples.…”

“…The employment of PCR allowed the identification of Leishmania at subgenus or complex level, but recently a study using polymorphism-specific primers yielded to identify species from clinical samples ). Other advantage of PCR is that diagnosis could be obtained on biopsy samples which are either in formalin or ethanol fixed and paraffin-embedded histological sections , Mimori et al 2002. Finding on PCR amplification of the Leishmania mini-exon gene and karyotype characterization suggest that it would be used for diagnosis and for molecular epidemiology in Ecuador (Katakura et al 1993(Katakura et al , 1998.…”

Diagnostic Performance of Filter Paper Lesion Impression PCR for Secondarily Infected Ulcers and Nonulcerative Lesions Caused by Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

“…Optimization of noninvasive strategies in nonulcerative lesions is warranted. Noninvasive diagnostic testing for CL is novel, with a dearth of published studies supporting its utility (5,8,13). FPLI PCR reduces the risks of bleeding and infection, diminishes the costs of testing by obviating the need for anesthesia, needles, syringes, and sharps biohazard disposal, and provides clinicians with an expedient, low-tech alternative to the operator-dependent collection of aspirates and scrapings.…”