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Table 2 Positive samples, analysed by the different PCR protocols, from 150 dogs clinically suspected of leishmaniasis and from 79 apparently healthy dogs

From: Evaluation of four molecular methods to detect Leishmania infection in dogs

PCR protocol

No. of positive samples (%)

CS dogs

(n = 150)

AH dogs

(n = 79)

All dogs

(n = 229)

Nested SSU rRNA-PCR

66 (44.0)a

20 (25.3)a

86 (37.6)d,e,f

ITS1-PCR

18 (12.0)b

2 (1.3)b

20 (8.7)d

MC-PCR

28 (18.7)c

5 (6.3)c

33 (14.4)e

Uni21/Lmj4-PCR

23 (15.3)

10 (12.7)

33 (14.4)f

  1. Abbreviations: AH apparently healthy, CS clinically suspected, ITS1 internal transcribed spacer 1, MC minicircle, PCR polymerase chain reaction, rRNA ribosomal RNA gene, SSU small subunit, Uni21/Lmj4 Uni21 primer based on a conserved region of a Leishmania major kinetoplastid minicircle sequence, and Lmj4 based on the variable region of the same L. major sequence
  2. Only statistically significant differences are shown: a Z = 2.76, P = 0.006; b Z = 2.41, P = 0.016; c Z = 2.53, P = 0.012; d Z = 7.31, P < 0.001; e,f Z = 5.65, P < 0.001