Role of rK39 dipstick rapid test in comparision of bone marrow and splenic aspiration for the diagnosis of kala–azar

Dr. Muzaffari Yasmeen; Dr. Khalda Nasreen

Volume : IV, Issue : IX, September - 2014

Role of rK39 dipstick rapid test in comparision of bone marrow and splenic aspiration for the diagnosis of kala–azar

Dr. Muzaffari Yasmeen, Dr. Khalda Nasreen

Abstract :

Leishmaniasis constitutes a diverse collection of human diseases varying in severity from a spontaneously healing skin ulcer to overwhelming visceral disease. A recently developed nitrocellulose–based dipstick test, rK39, has been widely used for the diagnosis of kala–azar. We compare the performance of the rk39 antigen in relation with demonstration of LD bodies in bone marrow aspirates thus assessing the serodiagnostic potential of the rk39 antigen in diagnosing cases of visceral leishmaniasis in patients from Eastern Bihar and Utter Pradesh in 80patients. study which were undertaken in the Indoor Medical wards of Katihar Medical College Hospital & Rama Medical College, Hapur, India. Our study showed the sensitivity and specificity of the rk39 dipstick test was found to be 95% and 90 % respectively. The positive predictive value (PPV) and the negative predictive value (NVP) were 98.7% and 82.6% respectively