A PCR assay amplifying a repeated sequence from the Leishmania infantum genome was compared with direct examination of bone marrow aspirate, myeloculture, and serology for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in immunocompromised patients. Of 73 patients living in an area endemic for leishmaniasis and where visceral leishmaniasis was suspected by physicians, only 10 had an indisputable diagn...

BACKGROUND There is paucity of data on quality of life as a dimension of treatment outcome among Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV coinfected patients. This study sought to explore perceived quality of life among Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV coinfected male migrant workers in Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS Twenty Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV coinfected study participants took part in the in-dep...

A 20-year (1985-2004) retrospective review of 39 patients with imported visceral leishmaniasis found that tourism to Mediterranean countries and HIV infection were associated with visceral leishmaniasis. Diagnosis was often delayed. Treatment with liposomal amphotericin B has improved prognosis. Visceral leishmaniasis should be made a reportable disease.

Cases of visceral leishmaniasis, one of the most neglected tropical diseases, are increasing globally. Dogs are considered an important reservoir host for visceral leishmaniasis in people. The first cases of human visceral leishmaniasis in Vietnam have recently been reported. Blood samples were collected from 41 dogs in rural Vietnam. Sera were examined for antibodies to visceralizing Leishmani...

Visceral leishmaniasis, or kala-azar, a fatal tropical disease, remains problematic, as early diagnosis is difficult and treatment often results in drug resistance and relapse. We have developed a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), using leishmanial membrane antigenic extracts (LAg) to detect specific antibody responses in 25 untreated Indian visceral leishmaniasis patients. T...

Leishmaniasis has been classified primarily as a vector-borne disease that poses a major problem to public health. The Biskra region, which has long been known as a focal point for cutaneous leishmaniasis, has a low extent of visceral leishmaniasis. The aim of the study is to highlight the spatial and temporal evolution of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in Biskra over the last decade, tak...

Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, and visceral leishmaniasis is a form in which the inner organs are affected. Since knowledge about immunity in experimental visceral leishmaniasis is poor, we present here a review on immunity and immunosuppression in experimental visceral leishmaniasis in mouse and hamster models. We show the complexity of the mechanisms in...