Visceral leishmaniasis: a seroepidemiological study of 289 children from endemic foci in Azad Jammu and Kashmir by indirect fluorescent antibody technique.
Between January '85 and August '87, 22 cases of VL were seen at National Institute of Health, Islamabad. Three (14.6%) came from the previously known endemic region of Gilgit, 15 (68.1%) from different localities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K), and 4 (17.3%) from neighbouring foci in NWFP and Punjab. Mean age of the patients was 4.2 years, (Range, 10 months to 57 years) median 2.5 years and mode 2 years. High levels of Leishmania antibodies were detected by Indirect Immunofluorescent Antibody Technique (IFAT) in all cases. Leishmania were isolated from bone marrow aspirates of 2 patients and isoenzyme characterization performed in one of these, the organism was typed as Leishmania infantum sensu stricto. Sera from 289 children residing in 5 endemic localities in AJ&K was tested for Leishmania specific antibodies by IFAT and low levels of these antibodies were detected in 15.4% of the cases.
Rab
M A
MA
Iqbal
J
J
Azmi
F H
FH
Munir
M A
MA
Saleem
M
M
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D010865:Pilot Projects