From: Identification of asymptomatic Leishmania infections: a scoping review
Gaps |
Lack of consensus regarding definition of asymptomatic infection |
Lack of consensus regarding optimal technique for identification of asymptomatic population |
Large variety of test targets and antigens employed by different research groups |
Lack of knowledge pertaining to the potential role of asymptomatic individuals in Leishmania disease transmission and epidemiology |
Lack of knowledge pertaining to the factors associated with development of clinical leishmaniasis by individuals previously considered to be asymptomatically infected |
Opportunities |
Establish a standard definition of “asymptomatic Leishmania infection” |
Determine the optimal technique for identification of the asymptomatic population (technique, target/antigen) |
Determine the true prevalence of asymptomatic Leishmania infection in different regions |
Determine the true role of asymptomatic Leishmania-infected subjects (both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed) in transmission of leishmaniasis |
Establish objective, quantifiable markers associated with the development of clinical leishmaniasis by previously asymptomatically infected individuals (differentiate subclinical and asymptomatic infections) |
Determine the principal risk factors related to development of clinical leishmaniasis |