@article{659,
  keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Age Distribution, Agglutination Tests, Antigens, Protozoan, Child, Child, Preschool, Disinfectants, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Formaldehyde, Humans, India, Leishmaniasis, Visceral, Male, Middle Aged, Rural Health, Sensitivity and Specificity, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Serologic Tests, Sex Distribution, water},
  author = {Kumar R and Pai K and Kumar P and Pandey H P and Sundar S},
  title = {Sero-epidemiological study of kala-azar in a village of Varanasi district, India.},
  abstract = {<p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>To evaluate five kala-azar serological tests for field use.</p><p><b>METHOD: </b>Serological survey in Pandit Ka Purva village in Varanasi district, India, using Sia water test, aldehyde test, direct agglutination test (DAT), micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and dot-ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>The total population of the village was 518, 67 of whom showed typical clinical and parasitological features of kala-azar, including seven who died. The age distribution of kala-azar cases showed significant differences, being highest among the 45-54-year age group. The disease was more prevalent among males. Serum samples were collected from 498 persons (96% of total population) including 67 kala-azar cases and 40 disease controls (malaria, TB, leprosy, typhoid). Ten 10 serum samples from healthy controls living in endemic area were also collected. The test sensitivities were: Sia water test, 85.0%; aldehyde test, 62.7%; DAT, 94.0%; micro-ELISA, 91.0% and dot-ELISA, 97.0%. The test specificities were: Sia water test 92.5%, aldehyde test, 93.2%, DAT, 96.7; micro-ELISA, 97.6% and dot-ELISA, 98.4%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>The dot-ELISA is highly sensitive and specific, cheap, and easy to interpret with the naked eye, making it a powerful screening test for the surveillance and diagnosis of Indian kala-azar at field level.</p>},
  year = {2006},
  journal = {Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH},
  volume = {11},
  pages = {41-8},
  month = {2006 Jan},
  issn = {1360-2276},
  doi = {10.1111/j.1365-3156.2005.01538.x},
  language = {eng},
}