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Showing papers on "Visceral leishmaniasis published in 1979"



Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 1979-Cancer
TL;DR: In view of the similarity in clinical and histologic appearance, visceral leishmaniasis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis in geographic areas where leish maniasis is still endemic.
Abstract: A 22-year-old man with fever, hepato-splenomegaly and severe pancytopenia is described in whom the histologic features of the spleen, liver and lymph nodes were consistent with malignant histiocytosis. Characteristic Leishman-Donovan bodies were demonstrated on a bone marrow aspirate, and the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis was confirmed by culturing the flagellated forms of the pathogen, and by an excellent response to sodium stibogluconate. In view of the similarity in clinical and histologic appearance, visceral leishmaniasis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis in geographic areas where leishmaniasis is still endemic.

83 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: ELISA is as good as IFAT and more practical in the sero-diagnosis and mass screening surveys for kala-azar and IFAT seems to be more specific in detecting leishmanial antibodies.
Abstract: ELISA AND IFAT have been applied to the sero-diagnosis of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis and the levels of leishmanial antibody detected by Leishmania donovani antigens in both tests have been compared. From the results it appears that ELISA is a little more sensitive than IFAT, but IFAT seems to be more specific in detecting leishmanial antibodies. In both tests reactions between leishmanial antigen and some other infections, such as malaria and typhoid, were observed. These non-specific reactions reduce the validity of both tests, especially ELISA, in the sero-diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis but, in visceral leishmaniasis, the leishmanial antibody levels were high enough to be unaffected by non-specific reactions. In general, ELISA is as good as IFAT and more practical in the sero-diagnosis and mass screening surveys for kala-azar.

62 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Clinical and laboratory findings were similar to those in patients with kala-azar in the Sudan and East Africa and four out of the 18 patients had not visited any known endemic area but the significance has not been fully evaluated.
Abstract: The clinical and laboratory features, and the response to treatment of visceral leishmaniasis were studied in 18 hospitalized patients. Clinical and laboratory findings were similar to those in patients with kala-azar in the Sudan and East Africa. Fever, heptosplenomegaly, relative lymphocytosis, leukopenia, low platelet counts, and severe anemia were common findings. Pentostam (sodium stibogluconate) was used to treat 17 patients and Neostibosam (ethylstibamine) for one. Three patients died. Four out of the 18 patients had not visited any known endemic area but the significance of this finding has not been fully evaluated.

45 citations




Journal Article
TL;DR: The role of sandflies as a vector for leishmaniasis was confirmed by as discussed by the authors, who found that 17 sandflies had midgut infections: 10 of these also had infections in the pharynx.
Abstract: As part of a study of visceral leishmaniasis in the Cevennes in southern France, an infection was transmitted from dog to dog by the bite of a single sandfly, Phlebotomus ariasi Tonnoir, 1921. The role of this species as a vector, suspected from earlier studies, is, therefore, confirmed. Twenty female sandflies, which had engorged on a naturally infected dog 23 +/- 2 days previously were put with a healthy dog which, after an incubation period of 15 months, developed viscero-cutaneous leishmaniasis. In dissections of the sandflies immediately after contact with the experimental dog, it was found that only one had engorged. All of 17 sandflies dissected had midgut infections: 10 of these also had infections in the pharynx. The engorged specimen additionally had parasites in the proboscis, a condition thought by many workers to be necessary for the parasite to be transmitted by bite.

19 citations




Journal ArticleDOI
Burney Mi, Wazir Y1, Lari Fa
TL;DR: The present study relates to the area traversed by the rivers Indus and Shyok, lying between latitude 35 to 35'3°N and longitude 75'5 to 76'5°£, which has been very important trade routes of Baltistan.
Abstract: valleys in the area are at an altitude of6,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. The most important valley is the Indus river valley. The present study relates to the area traversed by the rivers Indus and Shyok, lying between latitude 35 to 35'3°N and longitude 75'5 to 76'5°£. (Fig. I). These valleys are bounded by mountains ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 feet above sea level and the height of valleys ranges from 7,800 to 8,500 feet. The principal town of Baltistan is Skardu. The valleys of the rivers Indus and Shyok have been very important trade routes of Baltistan,. The Shyok river valley once connected the area with China through the Karakoram pass and the Indus valley connects Baltistan with Kashmir. The Baltistan population is rural, scattered, and scanty. Villages are situated at the junction of mountain streams and rivers. In between the villages the area is barren, as agriculture is only possible in areas traversed by a mountain stream out of which irrigation channels have been ingeniously constructed. The area has a long winter from October to April. The summer period is from June to August only. Mean maximum and minimum records of temperature and rainfall in respect of Skardu representative of the area under study are presented below (Ahmad 1962) (Table I). 110 I A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS

16 citations





Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Congenitally athymic mice were more susceptible to challenge with amastigotes of Leishmania donovani than were their thymus-intact littermates, and this increased susceptibility correlated with a lack of Arthus and delayed-type responses when animals were skin tested with leishmanial antigen.
Abstract: Congenitally athymic mice were more susceptible to challenge with amastigotes of Leishmania donovani than were their thymus-intact littermates This increased susceptibility correlated with a lack of Arthus and delayed-type responses when animals were skin tested with leishmanial antigen

Journal Article
TL;DR: The authors report on 9 cases of mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar) collected in the south-eastern part of France in 1978 and emphasize the more frequent occurrence of this disease in adults than children.
Abstract: The authors report on 9 cases of mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar) collected in the south-eastern part of France in 1978. They emphasize the more frequent occurrence of this disease in adults than children. Out of the 40 cases detected in this region between January 1975 and December 1978, 22 affected adults (55 percent) moreover, Kala-Azar appears to occur particularly in adults with decreased general resistance and diagnosis may be difficult because classical clinical features are no complete.



Journal Article
TL;DR: A 3-year-old child of German residents in Rome who had passed two vacations on the isle of Ischia who had chickenpox and mumps is reported on, where multiple leishmania infection of the bone marrow was discovered.
Abstract: The article reports on a case of visceral leishmaniasis in a 3-year-old child of German residents in Rome who had passed two vacations on the isle of Ischia Initial signs were intermittent temperatures, marked anorexia, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia, with spontaneous recovery after three weeks At that time, leishmania serology was already positive, whereas no leishmania were found in several bone marrow preparations despite a most thorough search During the following eight weeks, the patient had chickenpox and mumps During the mumps, relapse of the visceral leishmaniasis occurred, associated with a dramatic increase of the hepatosplenomegaly and recurring pancytopenia It was only now that we could discover multiple leishmania infection of the bone marrow Subsequent therapy with sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) was effective without any complications, and eventually cured the patient






Journal Article
TL;DR: It is suggested that in endemic areas of human visceral leishmaniasis a search for amastigotes should be made from the biopsy of the liver or sternal puncture during the first phase of the disease when the patients suffer from a high fever with rigors.
Abstract: Congenic strain of BIO.LP-a male mice were experimentally infected with Leishmania donovani 3S strain from the spleen of a hamster donor. The weight ratio of spleen body, liver body and spleen liver calculated from the weight of six mice taken at weekly intervals for a period of 49 days showed that there is no hepatomegaly or splenomegaly during the first 14 days of infection when the parasite population increases. Maximum enlargement of liver and spleen was observed at day 35 postinfection, when the parasite population had declined to 11 per cent. Slight recovery was noted at day 49 with parasites reducing to 1 per cent. It is suggested that in endemic areas of human visceral leishmaniasis a search for amastigotes should be made from the biopsy of the liver or sternal puncture during the first phase of the disease when the patients suffer from a high fever with rigors. With the enlargement of liver and spleen due to proliferative response and infiltration of plasma cells, the parasite population disappears.