[Visceral leishmaniasis in Niger: six new parasitologically confirmed cases]

From January 1992 to January 1995, six cases of Kala-azar have been observed in young soldiers at Niamey, Niger. All the patients had spent some time at Tin-Galene, in Aïr mountains, Northern Niger where they had been apparently contaminated. One patient was also infected with Salmonella and an other with Mycobacterium, but none of the six was positive for HIV. The 6 cases have been confirmed by the presence of Leishmania in the sternum bone-marrow. Four patients recovered after a treatment with Glucantime; two died because the treatment was too late. In Niger, Kala-azar prevalence is probably much higher than estimated previously. So far all the cases described or suspected were in the Saharan mountains of Aïr. The strains have not been typed and it is not possible to state if it is L. infantum or L. donovani. The vector of the two species Ph. orientalis and Ph. alexandri are known to occur in the area.