Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis: a neglected aspect of kala-azar control programmes.

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) was studied in relation to the kala-azar epidemic in Bihar, India. Between 1970 and 1989, 530 individuals, 302 males and 228 females, were admitted to the hospital of Patna Medical College with PKDL, the number of cases steadily rising from two in 1970 to 59 in 1989. The age of the patients varied from four to 70 years, with 33% aged 11-20 years and 16% 0-10 years.

Observations on the effect of verapamil with sodium stibogluconate in kala azar.

40 parasitologically confirmed cases of kala azar, were randomly allocated into four treatment groups to assess the effect of verapamil on fresh and antimony resistant cases of kala azar. Untreated patients received sodium stibogluconate only or in combination with oral verapamil. Antimony-resistant patients were treated with sodium stibogluconate combined with oral verapamil or pentamidine.

Amoebic liver abscess. Review of 220 cases.

Two hundred and twenty cases of amoebic liver abscess were seen between 1981-1986. The majority were young or middle aged males belonging to the lower socio-economic group and 85% gave a history of drinking toddy (fermented palm juice). The highest incidence of the disease occurred during the peak toddy season (April to July).

Evaluation of efficacy of longer durations of therapy of fresh cases of kala-azar with sodium stibogluconate.

The efficacy and safety of three regimens of treatment for kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis) with sodium stibogluconate were evaluated in a randomised clinical trial to ascertain the optimal duration of treatment for Indian patients. The study included a total of 312 (226 male, 86 female) patients with fresh kala-azar, confirmed by demonstration of parasites in aspirates from bone marrow or spleen, who were randomly allocated into three treatment groups of 104 patients in each to receive sodium stibogluconate intramuscularly. The dose of the drug was 20 mg/kg/body weight/daily with a maximum of 8.

Efficacy of prolonged therapy with stibogluconate in post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis.

Fifty three (30 male and 23 female), previously untreated, patients with post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) were treated with sodium stibogluconate, at the dose of 20 mg/kg/bw/d/im/(with a maximum of 8.5 ml) for 120 days (or more, if necessary). All the patients were followed up for 12 months.