Topic
Visceral leishmaniasis
About: Visceral leishmaniasis is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7486 publications have been published within this topic receiving 184865 citations. The topic is also known as: Kala-Azar & viscus leishmaniasis.
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TL;DR: PCR analysis of serially collected ejaculates indicated that shedding of Leishmania in the semen is intermittent, supporting the notion that L. chagasi may be sexually transmitted from naturally infected dogs to susceptible bitches in the absence of the biological insect vector.
128 citations
TL;DR: Leishmania DNA levels correlated with the clinical course of visceral leishmaniasis, and their measurement at diagnosis and during and after treatment seems to be useful in the clinical management of HIV-infected patients with this disease.
Abstract: To evaluate the usefulness of a real-time PCR for Leishmania DNA in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and Leishmania coinfection, Leishmania DNA levels were measured in whole peripheral blood from 25 HIV-infected patients with clinical features suggestive of visceral leishmaniasis. Leishmania DNA was detected in 10 of 25 patients with microscopically confirmed visceral leishmaniasis and in none of those without this disease. Following treatment with liposomal amphotericin B, a clinical response was observed in 9 of 10 patients, in association with significantly decreased parasite loads. Seven patients relapsed clinically a median of 110 days after the end of treatment, in association with substantial increases in Leishmania DNA levels. Leishmania DNA levels correlated with the clinical course of visceral leishmaniasis, and their measurement at diagnosis and during and after treatment seems to be useful in the clinical management of HIV-infected patients with this disease.
128 citations
TL;DR: The co-infection of Leishmania/HIV has led not only to marked increases in the sandfly transmission of the parasites from immunodepressed individuals directly to other humans but also, probably, to artificial transmission between immunODepressed intravenous-drug users, as the result of needle sharing.
Abstract: In many countries, Leishmania/HIV co-infection is now changing the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis. The levels of transmission of the parasites causing such leishmaniasis were previously dependent on the conventional zoonotic cycle, in which sandflies transmitted the parasites from infected canids to other canids or humans. The co-infection, however, has led not only to marked increases in the sandfly transmission of the parasites from immunodepressed individuals directly to other humans but also, probably, to artificial transmission between immunodepressed intravenous-drug users, as the result of needle sharing.
127 citations
TL;DR: The accuracy of the rK39 antigen strip test in the diagnosis of VL in a high prevalence population is confirmed and the sensitivities and specificities are confirmed.
Abstract: This study evaluated the performance of recombinant K39 (rK39) antigen in a immunochromatographic format (strip test) and a crude antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the diagnosis of Brazilian visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in 128 consecutive patients with parasitologically proven infections (by microscopy and/or culture). For each patient, a medical history was obtained and a complete physical examination was performed. Controls included 10 healthy volunteers and 50 patients with other diseases: malaria (10), leprosy (9), Chagas' disease (10), tuberculosis (10), and cutaneous leishmaniasis (11). The sensitivities of the rK39 antigen strip test and the ELISA were 90% and 89%, respectively, while the specificities were 100% and 98%, respectively. Our study confirms the accuracy of the rK39 antigen strip test in the diagnosis of VL in a high prevalence population.
127 citations
TL;DR: Control of reservoir host and vector is difficult due to operational difficulties and frequent relapses in the host, therefore, the development of effective and affordable vaccine against leishmaniasis is highly desirable.
127 citations