Visceral leishmaniasis in immunocompromised hosts. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Visceral leishmaniasis in immunocompromised hosts.

Am J Med. 1987 Dec;83(6):1098-102. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/89023129
Fernandez-Guerrero ML; Aguado JM; Buzon L; Barros C; Montalban C; Martin T; Bouza E; Division of Internal Medicine, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, Madrid,; Spain.

Abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis is infrequently reported in immunocompromised hosts; hence, the clinical manifestations and outcome of the disease in these patients are unknown. In a series of 10 patients with visceral leishmaniasis complicating renal transplantation (three), hematologic neoplasms (two), systemic lupus erythematosus (two), or infection with human immunodeficiency virus (three), typical hallmarks of kalaazar such as enlargement of spleen or hyperglobulinemia were absent in three and six patients, respectively. Extensive visceral involvement was noted by biopsies or autopsies in four patients. Diagnosis was made during evaluation for fever of unknown origin. Myriads of amastigotes were seen in bone marrow smears. Measurement of antibodies against Leishmania donovani was positive in each patient tested. Ultimately, three patients died, and chronic infections refractory to treatment developed in two other patients. Visceral leishmaniasis is a potentially fatal infection in immunocompromised hosts. Current antiparasitic therapy frequently fails to eradicate L. donovani from infected tissues.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS Adult Case Report Female Hodgkin's Disease/COMPLICATIONS Human *Immune Tolerance Kidney/TRANSPLANTATION Kidney Transplantation Leishmaniasis, Visceral/*COMPLICATIONS Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/COMPLICATIONS Male Opportunistic Infections/*COMPLICATIONS Retrospective Studies Substance Dependence/COMPLICATIONS JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/complicationsadultcasereportfemalehodgkin'sdisease/complicationshumanKWDimmunetolerancekidney/transplantationkidneytransplantationleishmaniasis,visceral/KWDcomplicationslupuserythematosus,systemic/complicationsmaleopportunisticinfections/KWDcomplicationsretrospectivestudiessubstancedependence/complicationsjournalarticle
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M8910520

Copyright © 1989 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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