Application of PCR for Specific Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in Humans in Ukraine

Area of Science:

• * Infectious Diseases
• * Zoonotic Diseases
• * Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• * Leptospirosis is a globally significant zoonotic disease, prevalent in Ukraine.
• * Current routine diagnostics rely solely on serological methods like the microscopic agglutination test (MAT).
• * Early detection challenges exist due to limitations of existing diagnostic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To evaluate the combined application of MAT and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for leptospirosis diagnosis.
• * To assess the impact of simultaneous MAT and PCR use on routine verification of leptospirosis in Ukraine.
• * To determine the effectiveness of PCR in early disease detection.

Main Methods:

• * Examination of sera from 150 patients with suspected leptospirosis.
• * Simultaneous application of MAT and PCR for leptospirosis diagnosis.
• * Analysis of data from patients treated at Lviv Oblast Clinical Hospital for Infectious Diseases (LOCHID) during 2016-2017.

Main Results:

• * The combined MAT and PCR approach was applied for the first time in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine.
• * PCR application within the first seven days of illness increased confirmed leptospirosis cases by 16.1% in hospitalized patients.
• * This demonstrates a significant improvement in diagnostic sensitivity during the early disease phase.

Conclusions:

• * Simultaneous use of MAT and PCR offers a more effective strategy for leptospirosis diagnosis.
• * PCR significantly enhances early detection rates, improving diagnostic yield.
• * This combined method addresses the limitations of serological testing alone for timely leptospirosis confirmation.