Immunoperoxidase method of identification ofLeishmania in routinely prepared histological sections

Abstract

An indirect immunoperoxidase technique was applied for identification ofleishmania in routinely prepared histological sections. Paraffin embedded, formalin-fixed slide preparations of skin (1 case), bone marrow (2 cases) and lymph node (1 case) were examined. The tissues were obtained from one patient with cutaneous leishmaniasis and from three patients with visceral leishmaniasis. Specific rabbit anti-sera againstL. donovani, L. tropica andL. mexicana were used as primary reagents. Positive controls were performed simultaneously and includedL. tropica cultures in blood-agar (NNN media) - free promastigotes and amastigotes within macrophages. Strongly positive brown staining was localized specifically in Leishman-Donovan (LD) bodies only. This method increases the probability of microscopic diagnosis of leishmaniasis and helps to prevent confusion ofLeishmania with other infective agents in histological sections.