Place de la culture dans le diagnostic parasitologique des leishmanioses viscérales et cutanées: Expérience tunisienne

Biological samples have been analyzed in all cases; dermic juice in Group I, bone marrow and blood in Group II. Culture was performed utilising classical NNN medium in all patients. Obtained results showed that culture sensitivity for leishmaniasis diagnosis was 83,8 % in Group I, versus 73,6 % in Group II (bone marrow sample) and 54,1 % for Group II (blood sample). We noticed that culture has improved sensitivity of parasitologic investigation of about 16,1 % in Group I and 25 % in Group II. As recommended by many authors, culture should be kept for at least one month before definitive conclusion; in deed, 9 patients had positive culture after one month of incubation : Group I (n = 3), Group II blood sample (n = 4), Group II bone marrow sample (n = 2).