Case Report: The First Case Report of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Cambodia

Leishmaniasis is considered a neglected tropical disease that is commonly found in Asia, Africa, South America, and Mediterranean countries. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of the disease and is almost universally fatal if left untreated. The symptoms of VL overlap with many infe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 2022-08, Vol.107 (2), p.336-338
Main Authors: Lyvannak, Sam, Sreynich, Korb, Heng, Sing, Thyl, Miliya, Chandna, Arjun, Chanpheaktra, Ngoun, Pises, Ngeth, Farrilend, Prak, Jarzembowski, Jason, Leventaki, Vasiliki, Davick, Jonathan, Neunert, Cindy, Keller, Frank, Kean, Leslie S, Camitta, Bruce, Tarlock, Katherine, Watkins, Benjamin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bone marrow
Cambodia
Case Report
Case reports
Child
Fever - complications
Humans
Leishmania
Leishmaniasis - complications
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - diagnosis
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - drug therapy
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - etiology
Parasitic diseases
Spleen
Tropical diseases
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Summary:Leishmaniasis is considered a neglected tropical disease that is commonly found in Asia, Africa, South America, and Mediterranean countries. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of the disease and is almost universally fatal if left untreated. The symptoms of VL overlap with many infectious diseases, malignancies, and other blood disorders. The most common findings include fever, cytopenias, and splenomegaly. Given the nonspecific symptoms, the diagnosis requires detailed laboratory investigations, including bone marrow examination, that can be challenging in low- and middle-income countries. Diagnostic limitations likely lead to the underdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis of VL. We describe, to our knowledge, the first case report of VL in Cambodia in a child presenting with fever, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. The diagnosis required a liver biopsy and multiple bone marrow biopsies to visualize intracellular Leishmania spp. Our case illustrates the diagnostic challenges and the importance of timely diagnosis. This case also highlights the need for heightened awareness of the diagnostic findings of VL and improved reporting of tropical diseases.
ISSN:0002-9637
1476-1645
1476-1645
DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.22-0085