Page 134 - LECTURE NOTES

• Can be seen in groups inside blood monocycles (less

commonly in neutrophils), in macrophages in aspirates or
skin smears, or lying free between cells

• The nucleus and rod-shaped kinetoplast in each amastigotes

stain dark reddish mauve
• The cytoplasm stains pale and is often difficult to see when

amastigotes are clustered in a group.

Figure: 5 Leishmania amastigotes in Giemsa stained skin smear

5.7.3. Serological diagnosis of cutaneous leshmaniasis

Because of the poor antibody response in continuous leishmaniasis serological tests
are of little value in diagnosis. There is however a cellular response, which is the

basis of the leishmanin, skin tests.

5.7.4. Leishmanin test

The antigen used in the leishmanin test (or Montenegro reaction), is prepared from
6
killed culture promastigotes of L. tropica, with a concentration of 10 x 10 parasites per
ml.

The antigen is available from different commercial manufacture. In the test, 10.1 ml of

well-shaken antigen is injected intradermally in to the inner surface of the forearm. It is

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