Trypanosoma brucei gambiense spliced leader RNA is a more specific marker for cure of human African trypanosomiasis than T.b. gambiense DNA

Abstract

To assess the efficacy of treatment for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), accurate tests that can discriminate relapsed from cured patients are needed. We here report the first data that the spliced leader (SL) RNA is a more specific marker for cure of HAT than parasite DNA. In blood samples from 61 cured HAT patients, SL-RNA detection showed specificities between 98.4% and 100%, while DNA detection only 77%. Our proof of concept data shows that SL-RNA detection has high potential as a test of cure.