slit-skin smear an alternate to histopathology in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis?

ABSTRACT

To determine how effective is slit-skin smear as a diagnostic test in comparison with the histopathology. This was a validation study, carried out in Combined Military Hospital [CMH] Kohat from 1st September 2011 to 30th June 2012. The study population was the patients who were clinically diagnosed as cutaneous leishmaniasis. Slit-skin smears were performed in all and a biopsy was sent for histopathology. The results were analyzed by cross tabs and chi square test. A total of 50 patients were included. They were all adult males. Leishman-Donovan [LD] bodies were seen in histopathology slides in 31 patients [62%] and were not detected in 19 patients [38%]. The slit-smear showed LD bodies in 18 smears [36%] and negative in 32 smears [64%] [p=0.048]. Histopathology is statistically superior investigation than slit-skin smear in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis