A purified Leishmania infantum polypeptide comprising at least 10 consecutive amino acids of a protein is provided. The protein is mitochondrial integral ADP/ATP carrier protein, NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, mitochondrial carrier protein, guanine nucleotide binding protein beta subunit (LACK), aldehyde reductase, ubiquinol-cytochrome-c reductase Rieske iron-sulfur protein, truncated elongation factor 1-alpha having a molecular weight as determined by SDS-PAGE of 36.4 kDa, truncated elongation factor 1-alpha having a molecular weight as determined by SDS-PAGE of 34.5 kDa, or truncated elongation factor 1-alpha having a molecular weight as determined by SDS-PAGE of 30.6 kDa. Methods for using the polypeptides for diagnosing MVL are disclosed.