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Background & Objective: Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) is an infectious-parasitic disease occurring sporadically in various parts of Iran. The disease is endemic in Ardabil, East Azarbaijan, Bushehr and Fars provinces. This study was performed with the aim of evaluation and comparison of direct agglutination test (DAT), indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFAT) and ELISA in sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis that is following a seroepidemiological survey in Germi district of Ardabil province.
Methods: Cluster sampling has been performed from ≤12 years old and 10% of the adult population in Germi district. Altogether 1155 blood specimens were collected to detect anti- Leishmania antibodies. The samples were tested by direct agglutination test (DAT), indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFAT) and ELISA methods.
Results: 32 (2.8%) of the collected specimens have anti-Leishmania antibodies with titers ≥1:800 and from total specimens 7 (0.6%) were positive with ≥1:3200 titers. In IFA test 32 (2.8%) have titers ≥1:40 and from total specimens 6 (0.52%) were positive with ≥1:320 titers. In ELISA test 8 specimens were positive and other specimens were negative.
Conclusions: According to the results of this study, IFAT and ELISA are specific and high sensitive tests for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis but these methods are expensive and require the complicated tools. Whereas, DAT is a simple method, not expensive and require a simple local laboratory with one or two trained technicians. Therefore DAT could be used for seroepidemiological studies and sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in endemic areas instead of IFA and ELISA methods.

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  Background & Objectives : Visceral leishmaniasis is an important endemic disease in Iran and Meshkin shahr County is the most important foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Iran. The aim of this study is the survey of recent changes in epidemiological patterns of visceral leishmaniasis in Meshkin Shar area during 12 years.

  Methods : This is a descriptive retrospective study. Records of 193 cases with confirmed kala-azar disease were reviewed in the period of 2001-2012. Data collected from files and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and SPSS v.15.

  Results : From 193 patients with confirmed kala-azar disease, 85% were resident in rural and 15% in urban areas. Among of these patients, 43% were female and 57% male. About 66% of patients were under 2 years old, 23% in age group between 2-5 years and 11% above five years. Among four parts of Meshkin Shahr County, in the first five years of the study, the most cases of the disease were from the central part, but in second six years the most cases were from the west part of this county and in latest year (2012) it has been coverted .

  Conclusions : Incidence of kala-azar was decreased during last 12 years. Because of high infection rate in dogs and considering important role of these reservoirs in conserving and distribution of disease, stopped health activities in any parts of area can increase the incidence of disease.