title: Frequency of visceral leishmaniasis in Abbottabad from 2005 to 2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by a haemoflagellate Leishmania, transmitted to humans through bites of female sand fly. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of leishmaniasis in Abbottabad and nearby areas including villages of Nawanshehr, Dhodial, Gamavan, Sheikhulbandi, Kakul and Malikpura.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study carried out in Pathology Department, Women Medical College and Benazir Bhutto Teaching Hospital Abbottabad from 2005 to 2009. The diagnosis was based on intracellular and extracellular amastigote forms of Leishmania donovani in the bone marrow aspirates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We diagnosed 61 cases of visceral leishmaniasis, mostly from Nawanshehr (32.78%), in children below 5 years of age with febrile splenomegaly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The disease is gradually spreading southwards in the country. A high index of suspicion should be kept in mind for all cases coming from Northern Areas of the country where the frequency is quite high. Local health authorities should take drastic action against this spreading disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Women Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan. dr_seema_nadeem@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadeem
authors.forename: Sabah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shamroz
authors.forename: Touqueer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Modood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: ul Manan
authors.forename: Abdus
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salaam
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies