From: Leishmaniases diagnosis: an update on the use of immunological and molecular tools
Method | Antigen | Advantage | Limitation |
---|---|---|---|
Montenegro skin test | Killed whole parasites | Low cost and detection of T cell immunity | May not detect cases of visceral leishmaniasis in some stages of the disease. Cannot differentiate between infection and disease, nor active and progressive disease. Risk of recurrence. |
Enzyme-Linked Immunoabsorbent Assay (ELISA) | Recombinant molecules | Low cost and high sensitivity and specificity | Sensitivity and specificity is highly dependent on the antigen used |
Immunofluorescence | Killed whole parasites | High sensitivity and specificity | Laborious process, time and cost consuming. Need of trained personnel to perform the test. |
Flow cytometry | Recombinant molecules and/or killed whole parasites have been tested | Better sensitivity and specificity when compared with all other methods. Small amount of blood. Can differentiate between infection and disease, and cured patients. | Cost associated with reagents and equipment. Few studies yet. |
Rapid Antibody Test (RAT) | Recombinant molecules | Low cost, small amount of blood, fast | Sensitivity and specificity is highly dependent on the antigen used |
Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) | Killed whole parasites | Low cost, small amount of blood | Need of long incubation time, well-trained laboratory technicians, antigen cost, and quality controlled antigen |