Abstract:
INTRODUCTION:
Conjunctival swab PCR was evaluated as a tool to diagnose visceral leishmaniasis in dogs.
METHODS:
Conjunctival swab PCR was compared to indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and blood PCR.
RESULTS:
Indirect immunofluorescence was significantly correlated with conjunctival swab PCR (p < 0.05), but not with blood PCR (p > 0.05). In addition, conjunctival swab PCR was significantly associated with presence of clinical symptoms (p < 0.05), whereas blood PCR was associated with absence of clinical symptoms (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
Results indicate that conjunctival swab PCR is useful in epidemiological surveys of canine visceral leishmaniasis.
Keywords:
Canine visceral leishmaniasis; Conjunctival swab; Epidemiological survey
