Use of DNA-based diagnostic methods for human leishmaniasis in Minas Gerais, Brazil

DNA hybridisation was used to type 26 samples from lesions of human patient s from the Rio Doce Valley (Minas Gerais, Brazil) clinically diagnosed as h aving cutaneous leishmaniasis, using kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) cloned mini-cir cle probes specific for the Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania braziliensis complexes. All samples were found to belong to the L. braziliensis complex . When biopsies were pressed directly onto touch blot membranes 38.5% of th e samples were positive. The positivity and specificity obtained were both 100% when cultured blotted parasites were used. The results were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis using primers specific for the L. mexicana and L. braziliensis complexes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.