Visceral leishmaniasis, the deadly parasitic disease also known as kala-azar is caused by the parasite Leishmania donovani, which is transmitted to people by the bite of sandflies. It causes fever, weakness, anaemia and swelling of the liver and spleen. The disease could be fatal when untreated.

The only way of detecting infections has been to take samples from the bone marrow or spleen in a painful procedure that only skilled doctors can perform. Until February 10, 2006 when the first rapid test was launched in India.

Unlike the current method, the new test is quick, painless and can be used in remote areas that lack electricity or hospitals. It is 100 per cent effective and costs less than US$2 - one-fifth of the current cost of diagnosis.
The new test uses a strip of special paper with a 'dot' containing a protein made by the parasite.

When a blood sample from an infected person touches the paper, antibodies made by their immune system attach to the protein, making the dot change colour.

Sarman Singh of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (which developed the test with funds from India's Department of Biotechnology) said that the new test only takes 8 minutes. Singh and his team hopes to convince India's health ministry to adopt the test in its programme to eradicate leishmaniasis by 2012. They will also ask the World Health Organization to use the test in other countries.

In photo: Leishmania donovani in bone marrow cell
News and Photo Source: Scidev.netHat Tip: Gloria D. Gamat