title: Splenic granulomatous lesions in immunocompetent pediatric patients with visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: Visceral focal lesions are rarely encountered in patients with leishmaniasis despite the fact that splenomegaly, and to a lesser extent hepatomegaly, predominate among the clinical features of the disease. We present, using high resolution ultrasonography, the first 3 reported cases of focal splenic involvement in immunocompetent children with visceral leishmaniasis. All patients showed a prompt response to the conventional anti-leishmanial treatment administered. This favorable outcome indicates that localized splenic lesions should not be considered as a poor prognostic factor and that alteration of the standard anti-leishmanial regimens is not justified.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens School of Medicine, P&A Kyriakou Children's Hospital, Greece. march193@hol.gr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fretzayas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moustaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitsiou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mathioudakis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karpathios
mesh_terms: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006099:Granuloma / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007223:Infant; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate