Short report: Contribution of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to follow-up of visceral leishmaniasis patients treated with meglumine antimoniate.

Karim Aoun (1) , Emira Chouihi (1) , Fethi Amri (2) , Nissaf Ben Alaya (1) , Ali Raies (3) , Charles Mary (4) , Aida Bouratbine (1)

1 Institut Pasteur de Tunis
2 Department of Pediatrics
3 Laboratory of Micro-organisms and Active Bio-molecules
4 Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie

Forty-two patients with visceral leishmaniasis in Tunisia were treated with meglumine antimoniate and followed-up for clinical improvement and blood parasite load determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Parasite loads before treatment ranged from 27 to 5.3 x 10(7) parasites/mL. At the end of treatment, parasite load decreased significantly in 39 cured patients (P < 0.001). The decrease in parasite load after treatment was greater than 99% for 34 patients and PCR results became negative in 23 of them. Two patients without clinical improvement showed no or slight decreases in parasite load (209 versus 202 parasites/mL and 1,765 versus 146 parasites/mL). One patient showed had a relapse seven months after showing a good response to treatment. His parasitemia remained high despite a sharp decrease (5.2 x 10(5) versus 5.9 x 10(3) parasites/mL).

Domaines: Microbiologie et Parasitologie

Karim Aoun, Emira Chouihi, Fethi Amri, Nissaf Ben Alaya, Ali Raies, et al.. Short report: Contribution of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to follow-up of visceral leishmaniasis patients treated with meglumine antimoniate.. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2009, 81 (6), pp.1004-6. ⟨10.4269/ajtmh.2009.09-0285⟩. ⟨pasteur-00684006⟩