Leishmaniasis and phlebotomine sand flies in Oman Sultanate.

There are few data on leishmaniases and sandflies in Oman Sultanate. We carried out an eco-epidemiological study in 1998 in the two main mountains of the country, the Sharqiyah and the Dhofar. This study allowed us to isolate and identify three Leishmania strains from patients exhibiting cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Effectiveness Study of Paromomycin IM Injection (PMIM) for the Treatment of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) in Bangladesh.

Background: This study was conducted in Bangladeshi patients in an outpatient setting to support registration of Paromomycin Intramuscular Injection (PMIM) as a low-cost treatment option in Bangladesh.

Methodology: This Phase IIIb, open-label, multi-center, single-arm trial assessed the efficacy and safety of PMIM administered at 11 mg/kg (paromomycin base) intramuscularly once daily for 21 consecutive days to children and adults with VL in a rural outpatient setting in Bangladesh. Patients ≥5 and ≤55 years were eligible if they had signs and symptoms of VL (intermittent fever, weight loss/decreased appetite, and enlarged spleen), positive rK39 test, and were living in VL-endemic areas.

Report of the Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) Consortium Meeting, New Delhi, India, 27-29 June 2012.

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a neglected complication of visceral leishmaniasis (VL)-a deadly, infectious disease that claims approximately 20,000 to 40,000 lives every year. PKDL is thought to be a reservoir for transmission of VL, thus, adequate control of PKDL plays a key role in the ongoing effort to eliminate VL. Over the past few years, several expert meetings have recommended that a greater focus on PKDL was needed, especially in South Asia.

Leishmaniasis worldwide and global estimates of its incidence.

As part of a World Health Organization-led effort to update the empirical evidence base for the leishmaniases, national experts provided leishmaniasis case data for the last 5 years and information regarding treatment and control in their respective countries and a comprehensive literature review was conducted covering publications on leishmaniasis in 98 countries and three territories (see 'Leishmaniasis Country Profiles Text S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S11, S12, S13, S14, S15, S16, S17, S18, S19, S20, S21, S22, S23, S24, S25, S26, S27, S28, S29, S30, S31, S32, S33, S34, S35, S36, S37, S38, S39, S40, S41, S42, S43, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, S49, S50, S51, S52, S53, S54, S55, S56, S57, S58, S59, S60, S61, S62, S63, S64, S65, S66, S67, S68, S69, S70, S71, S72, S73, S74, S75, S76, S77, S78, S79, S80, S81, S82, S83, S84, S85, S86, S87, S88, S89, S90, S91, S92, S93, S94, S95, S96, S97, S98, S99, S100, S101'). Additional information was collated during meetings conducted at WHO regional level between 2007 and 2011. Two questionnaires regarding epidemiology and drug access were completed by experts and national program managers.

The economic impact of visceral leishmaniasis on rural households in one endemic district of Bihar, India.

Objective: To estimate the economic burden of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) on the rural population of one VL endemic district of Bihar, the state with 85% of India's cases.

Methods: Using a survey of a stratified multistage sampling of 15 178 households with 214 individuals with VL in the previous 12 months, the study provides data on VL treatment expenditures, financing and days of work lost in the context of overall household expenditures, income sources and assets.

Results: Median household expenditures on VL treatment represent, on average, 11% of annual household expenditures and an estimated 7 months of an individual's income at the daily wage in rural Bihar.

Annual incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic area of Bihar, India.

The study presents the findings of a population-based survey of the annual incidence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the rural areas of one VL-endemic district in Bihar, India. Stratified multi-stage sampling was applied in the selection of blocks, villages, hamlets, and households. We screened 15 178 households (91 000 individuals) in 80 villages in 7 of 27 administrative blocks of the district, East Champaran.

Field evaluation of FD-DAT, rK39 dipstick and KATEX (urine latex agglutination) for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in northwest Ethiopia.

Three novel diagnostic tests for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), namely FD-DAT, rK39 dipstick and KATEX, were evaluated under field conditions using 101 clinical cases suspected of having VL enrolled in a trial either by active (63 patients) or passive (38 patients) surveillance. VL was confirmed in 49 patients: 35 by both aspirate smear microscopy and NNN culture, 10 by NNN culture alone and 4 by aspirate smear microscopy alone. Based on tests performed in the field, sensitivity for FD-DAT, rK39 dipstick and KATEX was determined to be 95.

Leishmania/HIV co-infections in the second decade.

Leishmania-HIV co-infection has been globally controlled in Southern Europe since 1997 because of highly active anti retroviral therapy (HAART), but it appears to be an increasing problem in other countries such as Ethopia, Sudan, Brazil or India where both infections are becoming more and more prevalent. Most of the scientific background on Leishmania/HIV co-infection has been dropped from the Mediterranean experience and although the situations among countries are not fully comparable, it is of high importance to take advantage of this knowledge. In this review several aspects of the Leishmania/HIV co-infection are emphasized viz.

Amphotericin B colloidal dispersion for the treatment of Indian visceral leishmaniasis.

Background: In Bihar, India, where visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is hyperendemic and refractory to antimony, amphotericin B is the most effective option for the treatment of VL. Lipid formulations of amphotericin B are able to circumvent the toxic effect of conventional amphotericin B, and the total dose of these formulations can be administered over a short duration. However, cost is a major constraint in the use of lipid formulations of amphotericin B.

Field validity, reproducibility and feasibility of diagnostic tests for visceral leishmaniasis in rural Nepal.

Objectives: To assess the field accuracy, reproducibility and feasibility of the formol gel test (FGT), the urine latex agglutination test (KAtex) and a rK39 antigen-based dipstick for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in rural Nepal.

Method: Patients with clinical suspicion of VL were recruited at Rangeli District Hospital (DH), a 15-bed government hospital located in south-eastern Nepal. FGT, KAtex and rK39 dipstick tests were performed on site and later repeated at a reference kala-azar diagnostic laboratory to assess reproducibility.

A comparative study of the effectiveness of diagnostic tests for visceral leishmaniasis.

We compared the validity of pancytopenia, the formol-gel test (FGT), the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT), the direct agglutination test (DAT), and the rK39 dipstick test as diagnostic criteria for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Nepal. Between September 2000 and January 2002, 310 clinical suspects had a bone marrow aspirate, and if negative, a spleen aspirate smear examined for Leishmania donovani. Sensitivity and specificity of all tests were determined compared with parasitology and by latent class analysis (LCA).

Strategic emphases for tropical diseases research: a TDR perspective.

Setting priorities for health research is a difficult task, especially for the neglected diseases of the poor. A new approach to priority setting for tropical diseases research has been adopted by the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (known as the TDR). Priorities are defined on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of research needs and research opportunities for each of the ten major tropical diseases in the TDR portfolio.

Strategic emphases for tropical diseases research: a TDR perspective.

Setting priorities for health research is a difficult task, especially for the neglected diseases of the poor. A new approach to priority setting for tropical diseases research has been adopted by the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (known as the TDR). Priorities are defined on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of research needs and research opportunities for each of the ten major tropical diseases in the TDR portfolio.

Visceral leishmaniasis: current status of control, diagnosis, and treatment, and a proposed research and development agenda.

Visceral leishmaniasis is common in less developed countries, with an estimated 500000 new cases each year. Because of the diversity of epidemiological situations, no single diagnosis, treatment, or control will be suitable for all. Control measures through case finding, treatment, and vector control are seldom used, even where they could be useful.