COMPARISON BETWEEN BUFFY COAT SMEAR AND DAT FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF VL IN SUDAN

Abstract

Visceral Leishmaniasis is considered by WHO as one of the leading diseases in the world and is present in 88 countries worldwide.It affects poor communities in peripheral areas. It infects the internal organs of the body. It is fatal if not treated.It is caused by the parasite L.donovani in the old world and L.infantum in the new world. Correct diagnosis is necessary if the disease is to be treated.Many diagnostic techniques are known but none is agreed upon worldwide.This study aims to compare two techniques for the diagnosis of VL in Sudan.37 patients was included in this study.Buffy coat smears were prepared from peripheral blood of these patients and were searched for the presence of the parasite.Serum from these blood samples was used to preform DAT technique.The sensitivity of buffy coat smear was 37.8% and that of DAT was 100%.When MacNemar test was conducted, it was found that DAT is better than buffy coat smear for the diagnosis of VL.We concluded that DAT is a better diagnostic technique and could be adapted for diagnosis of VL in Sudan.