Inclusion of quality controls on leishmaniases molecular tests to increase diagnostic accuracy in research and reference laboratories.

Early detection of leishmaniases and prompt institution of treatment are paramount for individuals and communities affected by these diseases. To overcome the remaining limitations inherent to molecular methods currently used and to ensure the accuracy of results in leishmaniases diagnosis, two triplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with quality controls for the reactions were developed. Validity indicators were assessed in 186 dog blood samples from endemic areas in Brazil. The level of agreement between the new tools and their singleplex protocols was assessed by kappa analysis. The triplex PCR for visceral leishmaniasis showed sensitivity (S) = 78.68 %, specificity (E) = 85.29 %, and efficiency (e) = 81.05 %. The cutaneous leishmaniasis protocol showed S = 97.29 %, E = 79.16 %, and e = 90.16 %. Both protocols showed good agreement with gold standards. These new tools enable, in a single reaction, the diagnosis of the diseases and the evaluation of the sample quality and DNA extraction process, thus reducing the cost of reagents and avoiding the eventual need for collecting a second sample.