Benign hemophagocytic syndrome associated with kala-azar

ABSTRACT

Relapse of Kala-Azar in thirteen patients showed association with benign hemophagocytic syndrome characterized by diffuse infiltration of hemophagocytic cells and numerous Leishman bodies in the bone marrow. The hemophagocytic cells which are large with abundant cytoplasm were seen to engulf various types of mature and immature blood cells. The follow-up revealed serious complications; blindness in one patient, post kala-Azar dermal leishmaniasis in two patients and two patients died. The rest of the eight patients were doing well after multi-drug therapy which included glucantime and amphotericin B. Immune deficiency might play a role in the pathogenesis of this syndrome