Human leishmaniasis: a retrospective clinical analysis of 86 patients / 中国感染与化疗杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment based on the retrospective clinical analysis of 86 patients with leishmaniasis, an endemic disease caused by various species of Leishmania. Methods The data of 86 consecutive patients with visceral leishmaniasis and lymph node leishmaniasis were retrospectively reviewed, including epidemiological data, clinical manifestations, laboratory features, diagnosis, therapeutic procedures and prognosis. Results There were specific endemic zones of leishmaniasis in Sichuan province. The main clinical symptoms and signs in the initial evaluation were: fever (100%), splenomegaly (100%), enlarged lymph nodes with hepatosplenomegaly (58.1%). All patients were treated with sodium pentavalent antimony gluconate (SPAG). About 95.3% (82/86) of the patients were cured, 3.5% (3/86) improved, and 1.2% (1/86) relapsed. Splenotomy was carried out for 2.3% (2/86) of the patients. The misdiagnosis rate was 30.2%.Conclusions Visceral leishmaniasis has no specific manifestations and is easily misdiagnosed. If leishmaniasis is suspected, bone marrow biopsy and smear examination, lymph node biopsy, rk-39 strip test for visceral leishmaniasis pathogen should be done to improve the outcome. SPAG is the first choice for leishmaniasis chemotherapy.