title: Autoimmune manifestations in patients with visceral leishmaniasis.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne protozoal infection caused by replication of Leishmania species in macrophages. VL is characterized by fever, hepatosplenomegaly and cytopenia. Apart from those classic clinical characteristics, VL has been associated with autoimmune clinical and laboratory features. Reported herein are 16 consecutive patients with VL who were checked for laboratory autoimmune manifestations. A variety of autoimmune antibodies including elevated titers of antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor were detected in all patients. Of note, no laboratory autoimmune manifestations were detected in the seven patients who were re-evaluated 3 months after therapy. It is concluded that autoimmune laboratory manifestations during VL infection are common. These may mistakenly lead to diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece. vaglimp@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liberopoulos
authors.forename: Anastazia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kei
authors.forename: Fotini
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Apostolou
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elisaf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies