Title:  Visceral Leishmaniasis- A Rare Cause of FUO in This Part of the Country

Authors: Sahitya Tankala, Meena Chandu, Kiran V, Benhur NVA

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v8i1.125

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a poverty-related disease with two main clinical forms: visceral leishmaniasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. An estimated 0·7–1 million new cases of leishmaniasis per year are reported from nearly 100 endemic countries. WHO lists leishmaniasis as one of the neglected tropical diseases for which the development of new treatments is a priority. Major evidence gaps remain, and new tools are needed before leishmaniasis can be definitively controlled. Clinicians commonly refer to any febrile illness without any obvious etiology as fever of unknown origin (FUO). Visceral Leishmaniasis is a rare parasitic cause of FUO in this part of country.Visceral Leishmaniasis is also called as kala-azar (black fever) in the Indian subcontinent.

Keywords: Visceral Leishmaniasis, Fever Of unknown Origin (FUO), Kala-Azar.

References

  1. Colmenares M, Kar S, Goldsmith-Pestana K, McMahon-Pratt D. Mechanisms of pathogenesis: differences amongst Leishmania species. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2002 Apr 1;96:S3-7.
  2. Bhunia GS, Kesari S, Jeyaram A, Kumar V, Das P. Influence of topography on the endemicity of Kala-azar: a study based on remote sensing and geographical information system. Geospatial health. 2010;4(2):155-65.
  3. World Health Organization. Don’t pollute my future! The impact of the environment on children’s health. World Health Organization; 2017.
  4. Manson-Bahr PE, Southgate BA, Harvey AE. Development of kala-azar in man after inoculation with a Leishmania from a Kenya sandfly. British medical journal. 1963 May 4;1(5339):1208.
  5. ELkhair EB. Elevated cortisol level due to visceral leishmaniasis and skin hyper-pigmentation are causally related. Int J Sci Commer Humanit. 2014;2:86-92.

Corresponding Author

Sahitya Tankala

Department of Medicine, Rangaraya Medical College and Government General Hospital, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh