Visceral leishmaniasis among hypersplenic patients in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt

ABSTRACT

In the present study, out of 22 human cases with hypersplenism and suggesting manifestations, four gave seropositivity for VL by the indirect hemagglutination tests [128 and more]. Two of these four patients gave seropositivity by dot-ELISA [1 8000]. Amastigotes of Leishmania parasite were demonstrated in the splenic smears obtained during splenectomy. One culture obtained from these two cases grew promastigotes. Typing is ongoing. It was concluded that visceral leishmaniasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with hepatosplenomegaly or hypersplenism in Egypt