Diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis requires a blood sample and/or taking a biopsy from the bone marrow to observe the parasite. Diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis will require a small biopsy or scraping of the ulcer. Diagnosis of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis requires a biopsy of the affected tissues.  Biopsy samples are examined by microscopy, culture and other methods to look for the parasite and identify the specific kind of Leishmania causing the ulcer. Some of these methods will give results within a few days, but culture may take 2-4 weeks to demonstrate the parasite.  Examination of Giemsa stained slides of the relevant tissue is still the technique most commonly used to detect the parasite.  Additional routine tests, such as complete blood count and serum protein, are also used for diagnosis.  Other diagnostic techniques exist that allow parasite detection and/or species identification using biochemical (isoenzymes), immunologic (immunoassays), and molecular (PCR) approaches.
Leishmaniasis laboratory tests
Leishmaniasis physical examination
Psittacosis laboratory tests
Actinomycosis laboratory tests
Leprosy physical examination
Filariasis physical examination
Coccidioidomycosis laboratory tests
Listeriosis laboratory tests