José Bryan Rihs, Mariana Teixeira Vilela, Janete Soares Coelho Dos Santos, Sérgio Caldas, Rodrigo Souza Leite, Marcos Paulo Gomes Mol
{"title":"Exploring real-time PCR techniques for diagnosing leishmaniasis: key insights from a systematic review.","authors":"José Bryan Rihs, Mariana Teixeira Vilela, Janete Soares Coelho Dos Santos, Sérgio Caldas, Rodrigo Souza Leite, Marcos Paulo Gomes Mol","doi":"10.1007/s00436-025-08503-2","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Real-time PCR (qPCR) has emerged as a promising alternative to be used in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. However, a consensus on the standardized approach for this purpose is yet to be established. This systematic review aims to highlight relevant aspects for the development of possible consensus protocols. The study included publications from January 2011 to July 2023 using different databases. Studies focusing on qPCR standardization for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis were included. The collected data encompassed study group details, geographical locations, sample types and quantities, molecular targets, and qPCR methodologies, which were subsequently pooled and analyzed. Forty-three studies conducted in diverse regions of the world were included. The majority were visceral leishmaniasis, followed by cutaneous leishmaniasis and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis. Overall, invasive samples demonstrated higher sensitivity (> 90%) compared to non-invasive samples (< 90%), but both exhibited high specificity (> 85%). Furthermore, the kDNA minicircle was identified as the most promising molecular target, with a discreet preference for the use of TaqMan probes over SYBR Green. Various qPCR approaches have exhibited promising results in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. However, further studies exploring non-invasive sampling techniques in conjunction with appropriate molecular targets are essential to establish efficient and reliable diagnostic techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":"124 5","pages":"54"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12095430/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Parasitology Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-025-08503-2","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Real-time PCR (qPCR) has emerged as a promising alternative to be used in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. However, a consensus on the standardized approach for this purpose is yet to be established. This systematic review aims to highlight relevant aspects for the development of possible consensus protocols. The study included publications from January 2011 to July 2023 using different databases. Studies focusing on qPCR standardization for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis were included. The collected data encompassed study group details, geographical locations, sample types and quantities, molecular targets, and qPCR methodologies, which were subsequently pooled and analyzed. Forty-three studies conducted in diverse regions of the world were included. The majority were visceral leishmaniasis, followed by cutaneous leishmaniasis and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis. Overall, invasive samples demonstrated higher sensitivity (> 90%) compared to non-invasive samples (< 90%), but both exhibited high specificity (> 85%). Furthermore, the kDNA minicircle was identified as the most promising molecular target, with a discreet preference for the use of TaqMan probes over SYBR Green. Various qPCR approaches have exhibited promising results in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. However, further studies exploring non-invasive sampling techniques in conjunction with appropriate molecular targets are essential to establish efficient and reliable diagnostic techniques.
期刊介绍:
The journal Parasitology Research covers the latest developments in parasitology across a variety of disciplines, including biology, medicine and veterinary medicine. Among many topics discussed are chemotherapy and control of parasitic disease, and the relationship of host and parasite.
Other coverage includes: Protozoology, Helminthology, Entomology; Morphology (incl. Pathomorphology, Ultrastructure); Biochemistry, Physiology including Pathophysiology;
Parasite-Host-Relationships including Immunology and Host Specificity; life history, ecology and epidemiology; and Diagnosis, Chemotherapy and Control of Parasitic Diseases.