Kala azar.

ABSTRACT

Although visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar caused by Leishmania donovani (LD) is globally, a public health problem and its eradication is of high priority, yet until now, no animal reservoir has been found in India and transmission of Kala-azar occurs from man to man through the recognised vector P. argentipes. The cutaneous or dermal leishmaniasis is caused by L. tropica and this is restricted to Rajasthan where it is zoonotic. Investigation by Sharma et al revealed the presence of zoonotic reservoir in Indian desert gerbils, the rodent burrows of which yielded two species of sandfly.