Leishmania diagnosis Microscopy - UKAS accredited test
Sample requirements: See downloadable sampling notes on website, address can be found on page one of this document.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
• Unstained, fixed aspirate or biopsy impression smears for microscopy.
• Giemsa-stained histology slides.
• Biopsy material in PCR (ATL) buffer (available from laboratory on request), OR in dry, sterile container OR in 10% ethanol. If histological wax block of tissue is the only material available please cut 10µm thick wax sections and float onto microscope slides (3/slide, two or 3 slides/sample), send these unstained for DNA extraction. A biopsy should ideally be around the size of a grain of rice.
Visceral leishmaniasis
• THIN marrow smears (please fix for 1 minute in methanol before sending.)
• Marrow /blood in EDTA for PCR -minimum of 500µl
Key factors affecting test: Use of aspirate, wax block or samples smaller than the size of a grain of rice MAY cause false negative or insufficient DNA results. The use of Iodine during sampling will inhibit the PCR amplification and may cause false negative results. The use of Lithium heparin instead of EDTA will inhibit the PCR amplification and may cause false negative results. Please list travel history with all Leishmania PCR requests.