Use of beef extract as a diluent in direct agglutination test for visceral leishmaniasis.

Direct Agglutination Tests (DAT) have been developed for sero-diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The objective of this study was to find a more suitable diluent for serum dilution in a Direct Agglutination Test. 1% of beef extract (BEX) was used as a diluent in the Direct Agglutination Test; 1% foetal bovine serum (FBS) and 0.2% gelatine (Gel) were included for comparison as alternative diluents. Serum from VL patients, individuals suffering from hydatidosis, syphilis and from healthy adult Kenyans was used as control. Beef extract was found to be easy to handle, less expensive and results comparable to those obtained from the other diluents.