سرولوژي ليشمانيوز احشايي (كالا آزار) در آذرشهر، آذربايجان شرقي

Thrombocytopenia in HIV infected patients: a report from the HIV/AIDS Counseling and Care Center

This study was carried out in order to determine visceral leishmaniasis in Azarshahr, East Azarbaijan province, during 2000-2001. The study was descriptive (cross-sectional) and; multi stage sampling has been performed from 10% of children <10 years old and the 10% of adults including individuals with kala-azar history. Altogether, 1252 blood specimens were collected to detect anti-leishmania antibodies. The samples were tested by serological procedures included: indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), direct agglutination test (DAT) and in some samples enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results showed that, by DA test 24(1.9%) of the collected specimens were anti-leishmania antibody positive with >1:3200 titers and 15(1.2%) with 1:1600 titers were suspicious. By IFA test, 30(2.4%) of the specimens with >1:160 titers were seropositive and 97(7.7%) of them with 1:80 titers were suspicious. Regarding the findings we recommend that further studies are necessary for isolation and specification of leishmania parasite and determination of the animal reservoir as well as the species of sandfly vectors in this region. This study in comparison with other investigations indicated that visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in Azarshahr district.