Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences

Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences

A study on pseudo- positive and negative smears obtained from skin lesions suspected to Cutaneous Leishmaniasis at Emamreza Hospital and Health Centers of Mashhad.

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mohammad Valavi 1
Ghodratollah Salehi Sangani 2
Mehdi Zarean 3
Mahmoud Parian Noghani 4
Zara Saffar Abkoh 5
َAbdolmajid Fata 6
1 Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
2 استادیار گروه انگل شناسی و قارچ شناسی, دانشکده پزشکی, دانشگاه علوم پزشکی مشهد, ایران
3 Department of Parasitology and mycology, Faulty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Mashhad. Iran
4 Parasitology & Mycology Lab. Emam Reza Hospital, MUMS
5 دانشجو کارشناسی ارشد انگل شناسی
6 Professor of Parasitology and mycology, Emamreza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
10.22038/mjms.2026.81009.4683
Abstract
Introduction: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease, endemic worldwide. Diagnosis primarily is based on clinical signs and microscopic observation of parasite on direct stained smears or tissue sections. However sensitivity of direct smear is rather high, but it depends on the quality of sampling, staining and the expert of Laboratory technician and responsible Medical Parasitologist for the test. However the sensitivity of direct smear is not as high as molecular methods. The aim of this study is to identify pseudo-positive and pseudo negative direct smears obtained from skin lesions suspected to CL by PCR method.
Methods & Materials: Among direct smears obtained from patients with suspicious skin lesions to CL who referred to Emamreza Hospital and Health Centers of Mashhad, 100 positive Giemsa-stained smears and 50 negative Giemsa-stained smears were collected. DNA extraction performed by scraping the stained smears, obtained from Patients with skin lesions. To perform PCR.
Results: Among DNA extracted from negative smears obtained in Health Centers, 28 % showed positive result for Leishmnia tropica. There was only one pseudo-positive smear among the reported positive smears. Among smears obtained from Hospital Lab., only one pseudo-negative without any pseudo-positive smears was observed.
Conclusion: Direct microscopy on stained smears is a good and accurate with high sensitivity laboratory method for diagnosis of Leishmaniasis, if sampling and preparation of the smear is proper and an expert microscopist using a standard microscope reports the result.
Keywords
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
oriental sore
Direct smear
PCR
Subjects
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Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences
Volume 68, Issue 6
January and February 2026
Pages 1646-1652