DeepLeish: a deep learning based support system for the detection of Leishmaniasis parasite from Giemsa-stained microscope images.

Journal: BMC medical imaging
Published Date:

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a vector-born neglected parasitic disease belonging to the genus Leishmania. Out of the 30 Leishmania species, 21 species cause human infection that affect the skin and the internal organs. Around, 700,000 to 1,000,000 of the newly infected cases and 26,000 to 65,000 deaths are reported worldwide annually. The disease exhibits three clinical presentations, namely, the cutaneous, muco-cutaneous and visceral Leishmaniasis which affects the skin, mucosal membrane and the internal organs, respectively. The relapsing behavior of the disease limits its diagnosis and treatment efficiency. The common diagnostic approaches follow subjective, error-prone, repetitive processes. Despite, an ever pressing need for an accurate detection of Leishmaniasis, the research conducted so far is scarce. In this regard, the main aim of the current research is to develop an artificial intelligence based detection tool for the Leishmaniasis from the Geimsa-stained microscopic images using deep learning method.

Authors

  • Eden Tekle
    School of Biomedical Engineering, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
  • Kokeb Dese
    School of Biomedical Engineering, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia-378.
  • Selfu Girma
    Pathology Unit, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • Wondimagegn Adissu
    Hematology and immunohematology course team, School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
  • Janarthanan Krishnamoorthy
    School of Biomedical Engineering, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia-378. Electronic address: jana.jk2006@gmail.com.
  • Timothy Kwa
    School of Biomedical Engineering, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia-378. Electronic address: tkwa@ucdavis.edu.