Leptospirosis diagnostics

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. The disease, also known as Weil's syndrome, is easily confused with other febrile illnesses including viral haemorrhagic fevers. Laboratory confirmation is essential for a proper diagnosis. Culture, the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and ELISA for the detection of specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies are important standard laboratory tests for the confirmation of leptospirosis.

KIT Biomedical Research has developed a number of rapid and robust 'point-of-care' tests including a lateral flow test and a latex agglutination test that may be used outside the established laboratory as an alternative for the complex standard tests. The lateral flow assay is simply performed on a drop of serum or whole blood collected by finger prick and provides a clear result in about 10 minutes. The latex agglutination test called Dri Dot is performed by mixing on an agglutination card a drop of serum with the dried test reagent fixed to the surface of the card, and the result is read after 30 seconds. The assays utilize stabilized components and may be stored without refrigeration. As the utilization of these rapid tests does neither require specific training, expensive equipment or electricity they are ideal for use in the field, in the resource poor laboratory or at the bed-site.