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The role of rk39 serologic test in the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in a Tertiary Hospital, Northern Ethiopia

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Research Notes, April 2017
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Title
The role of rk39 serologic test in the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in a Tertiary Hospital, Northern Ethiopia
Published in
BMC Research Notes, April 2017
DOI 10.1186/s13104-017-2490-3
Pubmed ID
Authors

Yazezew Kebede Kiros, Bethlhem Feleke Regassa

Abstract

The study is done in Ayder Referral Hospital in Northern Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the countries where visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic. Diagnosis of VL in Ethiopia is primarily based on rK39 immunochromatographic (rk39-ICT) strip. This test has been shown to have variable sensitivity and specificity in different countries. Hence the objective of the study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of rk39-ICT in the diagnosis of VL in our set up. The study participants were VL suspected patients admitted to the hospital. A cross sectional study design was used. The study was conducted from January 14, 2013 to June 26, 2015. The rK39-ICT strip used was the InBios brand. Ethical clearance was obtained from the IRB of the college and written consent was obtained from the individual patients. A total of 62 VL suspects were involved in the study. The mean age was 26.3 years (SD = 6.94 years) with a median age of 25.5 years. Sixty-one (98.4%) of the patients was males. The rK39-ICT was positive in 50 (80.6%) of the patients. Splenic aspiration was positive in 44 (71%) of the patients. In 37 (59.7%) of the patients both rK39 and splenic aspiration were positive. Thirteen (21%) of the patients had positive rK39 but negative splenic aspiration. Five (8.1%) of the patients had both negative rK39 and splenic aspiration however seven (11.3%) of the patients had rk39 negative but splenic aspiration positive. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and the negative predictive value of rK39-ICT, taking splenic aspiration as a gold standard test, is 84.1% (95% CI 69.9-93.4%), 27.8% (95% CI 9.7-53.5%), 74.0% (95% CI 60-85.4%) and 41.7% (95% CI 15.2-72.3%) respectively. Sensitivity of rK39-ICT is low and its specificity is poor in our set up. Significant number of patients with confirmed VL did not have travel history to endemic areas. We recommend that the rK39-ICT needs improvement for clinical use in our set up and case definition for visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia needs to be revisited.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 43 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 43 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 7 16%
Student > Master 6 14%
Student > Bachelor 5 12%
Researcher 5 12%
Student > Doctoral Student 3 7%
Other 2 5%
Unknown 15 35%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 10 23%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 5 12%
Nursing and Health Professions 4 9%
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine 1 2%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 1 2%
Other 5 12%
Unknown 17 40%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 February 2018.
All research outputs
#20,465,050
of 23,023,224 outputs
Outputs from BMC Research Notes
#3,579
of 4,283 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#269,560
of 309,905 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Research Notes
#42
of 47 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,023,224 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 4,283 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.6. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 47 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.