TRYPTECT CIATT(R) - A CARD INDIRECT AGGLUTINATION TRYPANOSOMIASIS TEST FOR DIAGNOSIS OF TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI-GAMBIENSE AND TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI-RHODESIENSE INFECTIONS

A simple and rapid test, the card indirect agglutination trypanosomias is test (TrypTect CIATT(R)) is described, for detecting circulating an tigens in persons suffering from Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and T. b . rhodesiense infection by latex agglutination. The sensitivity of the test (95.8% for T. b. gambiense and 97.7% for T. b. rhodesiense) was significantly higher than that of lymph node puncture, microhaematocri t centrifugation and cerebrospinal fluid examination after single and double centrifugation. The specificity of the test was also high: 106 blood donor sera as well as sera from 37 patients with malaria, 25 wit h visceral leishmaniasis, 10 with schistosomiasis, 5 with filariasis a nd 10 with hydatid disease, from trypanosomiasis-free areas, gave nega tive results. Eighteen clinical suspects from active disease transmiss ion foci, without microscopically detectable parasitaemia but with a p ositive test result, were further examined by lumbar puncture and inoc ulation of blood into mice; 11 (61%) were found to be infected, sugges ting that the test had a high positive predictive value. This study sh owed that TrypTect CIATT(R) is a useful test for rapid diagnosis of bo th patent and non-patent T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense infecti ons.