Blood parasite load by qPCR as therapeutic monitoring in visceral leishmaniasis patients in Brazil: a case series study.

Background: This study aimed to describe the kinetics of Leishmania parasite load determined using kinetoplast DNA (kDNA)-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients.

Methods: Parasite load in blood was assessed by qPCR at five time points, up to 12 months post-diagnosis. Sixteen patients were followed up.

Epidemiology of human visceral leishmaniasis in the urban centers of the lower-middle São Francisco Valley, Brazilian semiarid region.

Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis caused by parasites of the Leishmania genus. VL is present in countries with tropical climates, being endemic in Brazil,, including the region of the lower-middle São Francisco Valley which includes the urban centers of Petrolina (Pernambuco state) and Juazeiro (Bahia state).

Methods: This retrospective and descriptive epidemiological study analyzed secondary data obtained from the mandatory visceral leishmaniasis notification forms of the Ministry of Health, which were compiled in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) database.