Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Seroepidemiological Study of Visceral Leishmaniasis and Cattle as a Possible Reservoir Host at Trishal Upazila in Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Taohidul Islam
Associate Professor
Department of Medicine, Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

M. M. H. Mondal
Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

M. Z. Alam
Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

S. Akter
Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

To study the effect of months, seasons, age and sex on visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in human, data were collected during March 2010 through February 2011 from the register book of Upazila Health Complex (UHC) of Trishal, which is an endemic region for VL in the Mymensingh district. Besides, 70 blood samples were collected from suspected VL human patients to compare microscopy with rK39 immunochromatographic strip test. Additionally, 50 cattle blood samples were also collected from houses with active or recently-treated VL patients to determine the possible animal reservoir of VL through rK39 strip test. Of the suspected VL patients in the UHC registered book, 43.8% were seropositive. The percentages of seropositive cases were higher in September (73.3%), November (67.2%) and August (65.5%) than in May (18.5%), June (27.5%) and March (36.7%). The rainy season (58.4%) and the winter season (50.6%) showed higher seropositive than the summer (30.7%) season which was significant (p≤ 0.001). Hospital cases of VL were significantly (p≤0.05) higher in 3-14 years (49.3%) and 15-45 years (43.5%) than in children <3 years (32.1%) and adults aged >45 years (33.6%) people. The estimated sensitivity of rK39 strip test and microscopic examination were 100% and 58.8%, respectively and the specificity were 72% and 100%, respectively. Only two cattle blood samples were found positive to rK39 strip test. Our present study indicates that rK39 strip test is superior to the diagnosis of VL compared with parasitological confirmation by direct microscopy of the peripheral blood. Further works are needed to focus on molecular approaches for diagnosis and epidemiological study of VL, sand flies investigation and to confirm the cattle as animal reservoir for VL transmission.

Keywords: Visceral leishmaniasis, Epidemiology, rK39 strip test, Reservoir host

Location: Trishal Upazila of the Mymensingh district

Start Date: 00-03-2010

End Date: 00-02-2011

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Cattle

Objectives:

The objectives to perform a retrospective study with the epidemiological data of VL in suspected patients, to compare microscopy with rK39 strip test for the diagnosis of VL in human, and to investigate cattle as animal reservoir of VL in Trishal Upazila of Mymensingh district which is the most endemic area of VL in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The study was done at the Trishal Upazila of the Mymensingh district. The data about the VL patients were collected from the register book of Upazila Health Complex (UHC) of Trishal. Human blood was collected from pathology laboratory of UHC. Cattle blood was collected from some active or recently-treated VL patients’ house of Rampur union of Trishal upazila which were identified from the records of UHC Trishal. The parasitological examination was conducted in the laboratory of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. From March 2010 to February 2011, 826 suspected VL patients with one or more symptoms like fever for >2weeks, anemia, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and who were referred by physicians to the pathology laboratory of UHC for VL diagnosis by rK39 strip test were recorded with their sex, age, etc. The whole period of data collection was divided into three seasons such as summer (March/2010-June/2010), rainy (July/2010-October/2010) and winter (November/2010-February/2011). Two to three drops of finger prick blood was taken from 70 suspected VL patients. One to two drops of blood followed by one or two drops of buffer solution provided with the test kit (Chase buffer solution) were placed on the absorbent pad at the bottom of the strip (In Bios kala-azar detect^TM rapid test, USA) and then observed for 8-10 minutes. In the positive cases, there were two bands, a control band and a positive test band appeared within 5 minutes. In few cases, positive band also appeared after 5 minutes. Only the control band appeared in negative cases (Bern et al., 2000). Immediately after collection of blood from human, two thin smears were prepared for each sample. To prepare a thin smear a small drop of blood was placed on a clean, dry, grease free glass slide and applied even pressure with the help of another even edged glass slide. Then the smears were air dried and fixed with absolute methyl alcohol for 5 minutes and air dried. Afterwards, the smears were stained with Giemsa’s stain and air dried (Cable, 1957). The slides were then examined under microscope at high magnification (100 ×). Blood samples were collected from 50 cattle by puncturing the jugular vein with the help of syringe and needle. About 0.5-1ml blood was taken and one drop of blood followed by one or two drops of buffer were placed on the absorbent pad at the bottom of the strip and waited for 10 minutes for observing the band. Statistical analyses were carried out by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version, 13.0 (Coakes et al., 2006). Z test for proportions was done to find out the significant differences in the seroprevalence of VL in human in terms of seasons and age. Chi-square test was also performed to test whether there existed any significant effect of sex on the seroprevalence of VL in human. A p value of ≤ 0.01 or ≤0.05 was considered as significant.

Source of Information: J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 10(1): 79–86, 2012, ISSN 1810-3030

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Tthe present study supports the view that rK39 immuno chromatographic strip test is superior to the diagnosis of VL compared to parasitological confirmation by direct microscopy of peripheral blood. Furthermore, our present study addresses several key epidemiological questions for VL in Trishal, Mymensingh and thus, creating a basis for further epidemiological investigation. Research work focused on molecular approaches (PCR, DNA sequencing) for diagnosis and epidemiological study of VL, the vector fly and to confirm the cattle as animal reservoir for VL transmission is warranted.

Knowledge Management: Journal