ISSN 2756-3391
African Journal of Parasitology Research | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 589–596
DOI: 10.46882/AJPR/170547
Article Type: Full Length Research Paper
Title: Serological profiling and molecular characterization of Leishmania donovani strains among visceral leishmaniasis patients in border areas of eastern Sudan
Names of Authors: Ahmed S. Al-Agib¹, Amna B. Abdel-Rahman¹, Mustafa Z. El-Hassan²
Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Tropical Medicine Research Institute, National Centre for Research, Khartoum, Sudan. ²Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gedaref, Gedaref, Sudan.
Abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis remains a highly fatal parasitic disease in the Horn of Africa, driven by migratory instability along border regions. This cross-sectional surveillance program assessed the seroprevalence and genetic profiles of Leishmania donovani strains among 540 displaced persons presenting with prolonged febrile illnesses across temporary settlements in eastern Sudan. Initial screening utilized the direct agglutination test and rK39 rapid diagnostic strips, followed by internal transcribed spacer 1 polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis on bone marrow or lymph node aspirates. Serological testing confirmed active visceral leishmaniasis in 31.2 percent (n = 169) of the clinically suspect population. Molecular validation confirmed Leishmania donovani sensu stricto as the sole etiological agent across all positive isolates. Genetic characterization identified a predominant conservation (84.6 percent) of the East African Leishmania donovani genotype, while 15.4 percent of samples exhibited divergent polymorphic restriction profiles matching distinct strains native to neighboring highland areas. Severe clinical presentation, characterized by massive splenomegaly and pancytopenia, was significantly associated with polymorphic strains (odds ratio = 3.22, 95 percent confidence interval [1.68 to 6.14]). Packed cell volume dropped below 22.0 percent in 42.1 percent of these cases. These molecular and serological findings indicate active trans-border parasite transmission, highlighting the need for cross-border surveillance strategies and unified clinical therapeutic protocols.
Keywords: Leishmania donovani, Visceral leishmaniasis, Seroprevalence, Internal transcribed spacer 1, Border migration, Sudan
Manuscript Timeline: Received: 10 June 2026; Revised: 08 July 2026; Accepted: 28 July 2026; Published: 22 August 2026
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