Parasite load estimation by qPCR differentiates between asymptomatic and symptomatic infection in Indian visceral leishmaniasis

Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), we differentiated asymptomatic and symptomatic Indian Leishmania donovani infection. qPCR on blood of 40 visceral leishmaniasis, 130 endemic, and 40 non-endemic healthy controls showed 500 times less (P < .0001) parasitemia in asymptomatic compared to the symptomatic ones and threshold of 5 parasite genome/mL for the clinical disease.