Kala-Azar: A Case Report

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by unicellular protozoans Leishmania. The transmission can be zoonotic or anthroponotic, depending on the species, and the main vector is the phlebotomine sandfly. The disease is endemic in the tropics of Asia and Africa but is considered rare in Portugal, especially in immunocompetent hosts. Its main clinical syndromes constitute cutaneous leishmaniasis, mucocutaneous disease, and visceral leishmaniasis. The latter is also known as kala-azar and is caused by the infection of the phagocytes of the reticuloendothelial system, causing the typical symptoms: fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and pancytopenia. The clinical manifestations are non-specific, frequently causing a delay in the diagnosis, especially in nonendemic areas and immunocompetent hosts. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential, given the high mortality rate in untreated patients. The diagnosis is based on the direct visualization of the protozoan and molecular methods, such as polymerase chain reaction tests. Amphotericin B is considered the first-line treatment. We present a case of visceral leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and pancytopenia.

Leishmania Seroprevalence in Dogs: Comparing Shelter and Domestic Communities

“…Although the infection can be subclinical, the disease canine leishmaniosis (CanL), caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum, is a chronic, systemic, and severe illness, which can often be fatal if not treated [1]. Apart from infecting dogs, which are its primary reservoir, L. infantum is also responsible for leishmaniosis in other animals, such as cats [2], horses [3], and humans [4], with phlebotomine sand flies acting as vectors [1]. Zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis (VL) is endemic in many geographic regions, including Europe, with a particular occurrence in southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin, where it is a primary veterinary and public health concern [5].…”