Leishmania donovani bodies in bone marrow

Area of Science:

• Medical Parasitology
• Tropical Medicine
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) is a severe parasitic disease endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions.
• It is caused by Leishmania donovani complex species and transmitted by Phlebotomus sandflies.
• Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent high mortality rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a pediatric case of visceral leishmaniasis diagnosed in Afghanistan.
• To highlight the diagnostic findings of Leishmania donovani bodies in bone marrow.
• To emphasize the importance of recognizing this sandfly-borne illness.

Main Methods:

• Clinical presentation of a 5-year-old female with fever and splenomegaly.
• Microscopic examination of bone marrow aspirate.
• Identification of Leishmania donovani (LD) bodies within macrophages.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with significant fever and massive splenomegaly.
• Bone marrow analysis revealed characteristic Leishmania donovani bodies within macrophages.
• The morphology included a visible kinetoplast and a double dot appearance.

Conclusions:

• The case was diagnosed as visceral leishmaniasis.
• The findings underscore the presence of this sandfly-transmitted parasitic infection in Afghanistan.
• Prompt identification of LD bodies is key for diagnosing visceral leishmaniasis.