Use of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of circulating antibodies to human leishmaniasis.

In an attempt to lay the background work of immunodiagnosis of human leishmaniasis in Taiwan, the usefulness of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection serum antibodies in large regional groups was studied. Antigens were prepared from promastigotes of Leishmania tropica major recently isolated in our laboratory by Chao. One hundred and sixty-five serum samples were collected from medical students of National Yang-Ming Medical College (YM), Taipei, 61 from residents of San-hsing District (SH), I-lan County, 9 from residents of Wu-lai District (WL), Taipei County, 2 from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis, 6 from laboratory workers in the Department of Parasitology (LW), National Yang-Ming Medical College, and 1 from a patient with the history of hypersensitive to mosquito bites. The result of the ELISA were analyzed statically. YM students had the lowest serum antibody levels to this parasite. The laboratory workers and the SH residents had a significantly higher antibody prevalence rate than the YM students, but a significantly lower rate than positive patients. Positive/pseudopositive rate in non-patient groups was 0.82%. Tracing of these two suspected cases are in progress. The regional high antibody levels in the SH residents suggest that a risk of human leishmaniasis may be significant in the population tested. Using our antigen preparations we demonstrated that the ELISA is sensitive, rapid, and easy to perform and is therefore useful in screening and detecting of circulating anti-leishmania antibodies in serosurvey of large sample size.