[Serological study of visceral leishmaniasis in Boyer Ahmad Township in 2005]

ABSTRACT

Visceral leishmaniasis [Kala-azar] is a disease caused by intracellular protozoa parasites of the genus Leishmania. Kala-azar in Iran is usually seen in children below 10 years old. Kala-azar is endemic in some areas of Iran including Ardebil, Fars, and East Azerbaijan. The present study was designed to assess the situation of Kala-azar in children of ten and below ten years in Boyer Ahmad township in Kohgiloyeh and Boyer Ahmad province in 1384. Blood samples were collected from all the children of 10 and less than 10 years old. In this survey 1628 blood samples were collected from finger tip of children on filter paper. Collected samples were evaluated by direct agglutination test [DAT]. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS software. Result of this study showed that from 1628 samples collected, 50 cases [3.07 percent] were become positive with DAT test. Infection in females was less than male. No significant correlation was found between antibody titer and sex. The highest prevalence rate of the infection was seen in age 10 [14.82%]. Leishmania Infection was not found in any of the studied reservoirs [dogs]. Results of this study indicate that Kala-azar is an endemic disease in the studied region. Considering the obtained data, more study is needed to find out the prevalence of the disease in other regions of the province and also to find ou more about the possible animal reservoir of the diseases in the region