title: Visceral leishmaniasis presenting as fever of unknown origin.
abstract: A 41-year-old male presented with a prolonged febrile disease with marked splenomegaly. Bone marrow and liver biopsy smears and cultures for Leishmania were repeatedly negative and there was no hyperglobulinemia. Leishmania parasites were ultimately demonstrated only in the spleen at laparotomy, performed because of severe pancytopenia. The epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Israel is reviewed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology; D013156:Splenectomy