Final answer:
The diagnosis of leishmaniasis is based on finding the parasite within infected macrophages. This can be done by visualizing the organisms in Giemsa-stained smears, isolating Leishmania protozoans in cultures, or using PCR-based assays of aspirates from infected tissues.
Step-by-step explanation:
The diagnosis of leishmaniasis is based on finding the parasite within infected macrophages. This can be done by visualizing the organisms in Giemsa-stained smears, isolating Leishmania protozoans in cultures, or using PCR-based assays of aspirates from infected tissues.