Literature Review: Comparison of Leptospirosis Diagnostic Methods in Southeast Asia
Keywords:
comparison; diagnostic; leptospirosisAbstract
Leptospirosis is a significant zoonotic disease in tropical regions, including Southeast Asia, with persistently high morbidity and mortality rates. Accurate diagnosis is crucial since its clinical manifestations often resemble other febrile tropical diseases such as dengue and typhoid fever. This study aims to comprehensively review and compare various diagnostic methods for leptospirosis used in Southeast Asia, focusing on their sensitivity and specificity. A systematic literature review was conducted using national and international open-access journals published between 2013 and 2025. The findings reveal that each diagnostic method presents specific advantages and limitations. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) remains the serological gold standard with high specificity (75–86%) but low sensitivity in acute cases (14–68%). The ELISA and rapid diagnostic test (RDT) demonstrated moderate to high sensitivity (70–99% and 1.8–75%, respectively) but are prone to cross-reactivity leading to false positives. Molecular techniques, such as PCR and LAMP, showed the highest accuracy with sensitivity of 90–100% and specificity of 95–97%, whereas culture methods remain highly specific (100%) but time-consuming and technically demanding. A combination of serological and molecular approaches is recommended to enhance diagnostic accuracy, particularly in resource-limited settings. This review highlights the importance of integrated diagnostic strategies for early detection and control of leptospirosis in Southeast Asia.
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