Survey of Leishmani donivani infection in humans in Kashi City of Xinjiang Uggur Autonomous Region

Aim To understand current situation of Leishnmnia Donovani infection in Kashi City of XinJiang Province.Methods Blood samples were colleceted from Kala azar patients,family members of the patients and the patients' neighbours during September,2009 from one county and three townships in Kashi City of Xinjiang Uggur Autonomous Region with the help of local CDC.The blood samples sorted as anticoagulation and non-anticoagulation.Antibodies against Leishmania donovani were determined by ELISA;the leishmania-specific DNA in venous blood samples were detected by means of PCR assay with two pairs of primers RVI-RV2 and K13A-K13B.Results The positive rate of blood samples detected by PCR was 82.67%,those detected by ELISA was 69.33%.Conclusion The prevalence of Leishmania in human body is rather high and the work of monitoring of Leishimania donivani infection be strengthened and PCR is a sensitive assay for detection of asymptomatic infections in human.