Visceral leishmaniasis in a non-endemic area of India.
The study included 57 patients with visceral leishmaniasis. The average duration of symptoms was 3.8 +/- 3.55 months and pancytopenia was the commonest haematological abnormality. The parasite load directly correlated with the degree of anaemia at presentation (P=0.03). Splenic regression took 9.58 +/- 4.5 days and haematological parameters recovered in 14.5 +/- 9.07 days. There were five deaths over the five-year study duration. Leishmaniasis was not the first diagnosis in 14 patients, of whom eight were residents of non-endemic regions. Diagnosis was achieved in 13.5 days in these patients, compared to 4.5 days in patients where leishmaniasis was suspected at the outset.
Sud
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. asud@doctor.com
Varma
N
N
Marwaha
R K
RK
Patel
F M
FM
Trehan
A
A
Singh
S
S
Varma
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000469:parasitology; D010270:Parasite Egg Count
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents