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- Title
Leishmaniasis Visceral Humana en el Principal Foco Activo de Venezuela.
- Authors
Sifontes, Karina; López, Liliana; Rodríguez, Clara; Hernández, Rocío; Moreno, Melquíades
- Abstract
Human Visceral Leishmaniosis (HVL) is considered by the WHO a major endemic infection in the world. HVL in Venezuela Margarita's Island has a 16 times higher frequency than in any other Venezuelan area. Since 1998 it is considered the major endemic zone of the country. From january 2004 to april 2008, 7 cases of HVL in Altagracia town were reported; out of them, 6 were pediatric cases; representing the major endemic zone of Nueva Esparta. Objective: to study the clinical-epidemiological and laboratory findings of HVL in pediatric cases originated in Altagracia, Nueva Esparta, during dates january 2004 - april 2008. Patients and Methods: this is a retrospective and descriptive investigation of 6 pediatrics cases with clinical-epidemiological and positive serology for rk39 of HVL diagnosis. Results: 66,6% of the cases were 1 to 4 years old, with equal proportion of males and females. Socioeconomical status was Graffar IV and V on a 1:1 ratio; 100% of them were in contact with dogs and 50% with poultry. Fever, hepatosplenomegaly and anemia were present in 100% of cases, neutropenia in 66.6 % and thrombocytopenia in 50% of them. Conclusions: HVL is a public health problem in Nueva Esparta and particularly in Altagracia town, which has many shanty houses, with poor access to water and gargabe disposal basic servicies, home overcrowding and uncontrolled domestic animals; all favouring the persistance and interfering with elimination of the HVL vector. The clinical features of all cases were prolonged fever, anemia and hepatosplenomegaly.
- Subjects
MARGARITA Island (Venezuela); VENEZUELA; VISCERAL leishmaniasis; FEVER; LIVER diseases; SPLEEN diseases; ANEMIA; THROMBOCYTOPENIA
- Publication
Informe Medico, 2009, Vol 11, Issue 9, p511
- ISSN
1316-9688
- Publication type
Article