Visceral leishmaniasis: new foci of infection in Libya

Although cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Libya have been reported for over 80 years, all these reports were from the northern coastal areas near Tripoli and the Green Mountain area. Since 1985, there have been new cases of the disease from the southern part of Libya in the Saharan and sub-Saharan areas, an area 250 km to the south-west of Sabha. This southern area has recently undergone much agricultural organization with increasing water supply and other environmental changes, which may be partially responsible for the establishment of these new foci. Twenty patients with hepatosplenomegaly and fever were referred from that area to the El-Fateh Children's Hospital in Benghazi for investigation. All had the clinical features and laboratory data indicative of the Mediterranean type of the disease. All were treated with sodium stibogluconate (10 mg kg-1 day-1), and responded well to this regime.