A RISING TREND IN KALA-AZAR IN VARANASI DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA - A RECENT SURVEY USING DIRECT AGGLUTINATION TEST

摘要

Sporadic cases of kala-azar reported from certain districts of eastern UP prompted us to study the seroepidemiological profile of tile disease in Varanasi district. A total of 2182 blood samples were collected and screened by tile direct agglutination test (DAT). Five hundred and ninety cases comprising of various categories of disease status responded positively to DAT, with the antibody titre ranging between 1 : 3200 and 1 :> 102400. Ten asymptomatic subjects positive by DAT later developed full-blown disease, indicating the usefulness of the test in early diagnosis of kala-azar. [References: 21]