The Crithidia luciliae test in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus

Fluorescence of the kinetoplast of Crithidia luciliae was employed as a test to detect anti-DNA antibodies in 179 serum samples from 95 patients with various immunological diseases. The test was positive only in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The results confirm the high specificity of this test in the diagnosis of SLE.