The Indian Government aspires to eliminate Kala-azar by 2010. Success of any disease control program depends on community participation, and there is no published data about the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the community about Kala-azar in endemic regions of India. For this knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) study, the heads of 3,968 households in a rural area, consisting of 26,444 populations, were interviewed using a pre-tested, semi-structured schedule. Most of the study subjects (97.4%) were aware of Kala-azar. Fever (71.3%) and weight loss (30.5%) were the most commonly known symptoms. The infectious nature of the disease was known to 39.9%. The majority believed that the disease spreads by mosquito bites (72.8%). For 63.6%, the breeding site of the vector was garbage collection. Only 23.6% preferred the public health sector for treatment, and 55.9% believed that facilities at primary health centers are not adequate. Poor knowledge of the study subjects about the disease and breeding sites of the vector underscores the need for health educational campaigns if the elimination program is to succeed.

Inadequate and irregular use of antifungal drugs has led to the emergence of resistant strains, which cause poor treatment outcomes. Thus, it is very important to test for antifungal sensitivity to check for resistance to antifungals.

The variations in orgin, course, and terminal branching pattern of the splenic artery were studied in 320 cadavers. The artery originated from the coeliac trunk in the majority of cadavers (90.6%), followed by abdominal aorta (8.1%), and other sights (1.3%). A suprapancreatic course of the artery was commonly observed (74.1%) followed by enteropancreatic (18.5%), intrapancreatic (4.6%), and retropancreatic (2.8%) courses. In two cases (0.63%) the proximal part of the splenic artery made a loop that was embedded in the substance of the pancreas, which is an interesting and rare finding. In five cases (1.5%) the proximal part of the artery divided into two or more branches that had suprapancreatic and enteropancreatic courses. The splenic artery divided into terminal branches in 311 (97%) cadavers. In nine (2.8%) cadavers it passed through the hilum of spleen without dividing. Two terminal branches were the most common (63.1%) followed by four (18.8%), six (9.7%), and more than six (5.6%) branches. The present study clearly indicates that there is variation in origin, course, and terminal distribution pattern of the splenic artery. The knowledge of these variations are of significant importance during surgical and radiological procedure of upper abdominal region to avoid any catastrophic complications.