title: Visceral leishmaniasis: a seroepidemiological study of 289 children from endemic foci in Azad Jammu and Kashmir by indirect fluorescent antibody technique.
abstract: 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.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rab
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Azmi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Munir
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saleem
mesh_terms: 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