Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect urinary antibody against recombinant rKRP42 antigen made from Leishmania donovani for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2008 Oct;79(4):599-604.

Abstract

We recently reported the production of the recombinant kinesin-related protein of Leishmania donovani with a molecular weight of 42 kd (rKRP42) and the value of the antigen in serum-based ELISA for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). In this study, the rKRP42 antigen was validated with ELISA using urine samples (rKRP42 urine ELISA). The urine-based ELISA showed 94% sensitivity (108 positives among 115 VL samples) and 99.6% specificity (239 negatives among 240 non-VL samples). The sensitivity and specificity are almost similar to our previous results by ELISA with acetone-treated L. donovani promastigote antigen and direct agglutination test, both methods being done by use of urine samples. A comparison of the rKRP42 urine ELISA with the commercially available urinary antigen detection kit (KAtex) using 108 VL samples showed much higher sensitivity of the ELISA (96.3%) than KAtex (55.6%). The use of the rKRP42 antigen with urine samples will facilitate epidemiologic studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / urine*
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / urine
  • Leishmania donovani / immunology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / diagnosis*
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Specimen Handling

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Recombinant Proteins