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Bone marrow fibrosis (pseudo-myelofibrosis) in human kala-azar

F D Rocha Filho1, F V Ferreira, F de O Mendes

  • 1Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil.

Revista Da Sociedade Brasileira De Medicina Tropical
|August 11, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Kala-azar can cause bone marrow fibrosis, a condition where reticulin fibers thicken. This fibrosis appears transient and does not impact treatment outcomes for patients with visceral leishmaniasis.

Area of Science:

  • Tropical Medicine
  • Hematology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar, is a serious parasitic disease.
  • Bone marrow fibrosis, a condition characterized by reticulin fiber thickening, has been rarely associated with kala-azar.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the occurrence and impact of bone marrow fibrosis in patients diagnosed with human kala-azar.
  • To compare clinical and hematological parameters between kala-azar patients with and without bone marrow fibrosis.

Main Methods:

  • Diagnosis of 30 human kala-azar cases using iliac crest biopsy and myeloculture.
  • Histological analysis of bone marrow biopsies to identify reticulin fiber thickening.
  • Comparison of patients with (n=12) and without (n=18) detectable bone marrow fibrosis.

Main Results:

  • Histological analysis revealed diffuse reticulin fiber thickening (bone marrow fibrosis) in 12 out of 30 kala-azar patients.
  • No significant differences in clinical or blood parameters were observed post-treatment between patients with and without bone marrow fibrosis.
  • All patients demonstrated regression of hepatosplenomegaly after treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Secondary bone marrow fibrosis (myelofibrosis-like) is a potential, albeit transient, complication associated with kala-azar.
  • The presence of bone marrow fibrosis did not adversely affect the treatment outcomes or clinical evolution of kala-azar patients.

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