Polymerase chain reaction for the evaluation of Schistosoma mansoni infection in two low endemicity areas of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 107(7): 899-902, Nov. 2012. ilus, graf, tab
Article
in En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-656046
Responsible library:
BR1.1
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of schistosomiasis in areas with low endemicity using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic method. We analysed faecal samples from 219 individuals residing in Piau and Coronel Pacheco, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using a single faecal sample from each individual and two slides of the Kato-Katz technique as a gold standard. Fifteen out of the 219 samples were positive with both methods of diagnosis. One sample was diagnosed as positive by the Kato-Katz technique only and 61 were diagnosed only by PCR. The positivity rates were 7.3% with the Kato-Katz method and 34.7% with PCR. When both techniques were assumed to have 100% specificity and positive individuals were identified by both methods, the sensitivity of the Kato-Katz method was 20.8% and the PCR sensitivity was 98.7%. The Kappa index between the two techniques was 0.234, suggesting weak agreement. The assessment of a single faecal sample by PCR detected more cases of infection than the analysis of one sample with two slides using the Kato-Katz technique, suggesting that PCR can be a useful diagnostic tool, particularly in areas with low endemicity.
Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
LILACS
Main subject:
Schistosoma mansoni
/
Schistosomiasis mansoni
/
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Aged80
/
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Language:
En
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
PARASITOLOGIA
Year:
2012
Type:
Article