vis·cer·al leish·man·i·a·sis

1. a chronic disease, occurring in India, China, Pakistan, the Mediterranean littoral, the Middle East, South and Central America, Asia, and Africa caused by Leishmania donovani and transmitted by the bite of an appropriate species of sandfly of the genus Phlebotomus or Lutzomyia; the organisms grow and multiply in macrophages, eventually causing them to burst and liberate amastigote parasites, which then invade other macrophages; proliferation of macrophages in the bone marrow crowds out erythroid and myeloid elements, resulting in leukopenia, anemia, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly, that are characteristic, along with enlargement of lymph nodes; fever, fatigue, malaise, and secondary infections also occur; different strains of L. donovani occur; L. infantum in Eurasia, L. chagasi in Latin America.

2. visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. tropica, cultured from bone marrow aspirates of some military patients following the Gulf War.

Synonym(s): Assam fever, black sickness, Burdwan fever, cachectic fever, Dumdum fever, kala azar, tropic splenomegaly

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

vis·cer·al leish·ma·ni·a·sis

(vis'ĕr-ăl lēsh'mă-nī'ă-sis)

A chronic tropical disease caused by Leishmania donovani (less commonly, other species) and transmitted by the bite of a sandfly of the genus Phlebotomus or Lutzomyia; the organisms grow and multiply in macrophages, which eventually burst and liberate amastigote parasites, which then invade other macrophages; proliferation of macrophages in the bone marrow causes crowding out of erythroid and myeloid elements, which results in leukopenia, as well as anemia, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly, which are characteristic, along with enlargement of lymph nodes; fever, fatigue, malaise, and secondary infections also occur.
Synonym(s): kala azar.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

kala azar

One of the forms of LEISHMANIASIS, caused by Leishmania organisms and spread by the bite of sandflies. Kala azar occurs mainly in the Mediterranean area and in India, but is spreading westward into Europe. There is fever, anaemia, lymph node swelling, enlargement of the spleen and liver, damage to the bone marrow, malnutrition and loss of immune capacity (immunosuppression). The condition can be diagnosed by the ELISA test and is treated with drugs containing antimony. Also known as visceral leishmaniasis.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

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References in periodicals archive

Since 1988, MSF has treated over 95,000 kala azar patients in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda.

Advances and concerns in Africa's health systems: despite Africa's economic growth in recent years, healthcare remains one area where the continent struggles. Governments are faced with the challenge of coming up with solutions that will help maintain a healthy and thriving society. New African examines areas which remain a main source of concern, and those where improvement has been made. Report by Belinda Otas

Kala Azar -- a Hindi word meaning "Black Death" -- erupted during Sudan's two-decade civil war that ended in 2005, killing hundreds of thousands of people in Southern Sudan.

Tropical disease kills more than 300 people in Southern Sudan

The group says it has seen a sharp uptick in kala azar cases since August, which is normally the disease's low season.

Tropical disease kills 300 in Southern Sudan

"Without treatment, those infected with kala azar can die within weeks if their immune system is already weakened," Kidinda added.

Deadly tropical disease hits south Sudan

Kala Azar remains neglected by research and development initiatives.

Kala Azar patients lack adequate diagnosis, drugs

MSF is present in eight of South Sudan's ten states and responds to many emergencies, including large-scale displacement, refugee influxes, alarming nutrition situations and peaks of disease, such as malaria and kala azar, in addition to providing basic and specialist healthcare services.

MSF - Medical teams extremely concerned for those affected by the fighting

Salotra, "Visceral leishmaniasis, or Kala Azar (KA): high incidence of refractoriness to antimony is contributed by anthroponotic transmission via post-KA dermal leishmaniasis," Journal of Infectious Diseases, vol.

Treatment-based strategy for the management of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis patients in the Sudan

JUBA: Fighting and heavy rains in south Sudan have caused a spike in victims from the deadly kala azar tropical disease, with at least 31 deaths in the last two months, a health ministry official said on Monday.

South Sudan insecurity exacerbates deadly disease

However, when the drug was used for ali unselected patients of kala azar, as we did in this study similar situation might arise in future.

Tetany in kala azar patients treated with paromomycin

Because it has been neglected by researchers, drug companies and health funding agencies, Kala Azar's control and prevention strategies have not progressed for decades.

Africa the Negleted Disease: millions of Africans do not have access to medicines for diseases that have been widely neglected by researchers and funding agencies for decades. (Spotlight: Health)