Abstract:
Back Ground: Visceral Leishmaniasis is a disease of major public health importance leading to severe morbidity and mortality if remains untreated. Although prevalent in Northern Pakistan, physicians may come across this serious illness because of frequent traveling of the modern age. Objective: To observe clinical and haematological features of visceral leishmaniasis in patients from Northern Pakistan referred to and diagnosed at Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi. Patients & Method: Demographic, clinical and haematological features of all patients diagnosed on bone marrow examination as having visceral leishmaniasis over a period of 05 years from March 2003 to February 2008 were recorded. The data was managed and analyzed using computer programme SPSS-10. Results Out of 70 patients, 49 (70.0%) were males and 21 (30%) were females. Age of the patients ranged from 1.6 to 25 years with a mean of 03.51+3.56 years. Sixty eight (97.14%) of these were children with a mean age of 02.97+1.52 years. Fever and splenomegaly was present in all the patients and pallor, hepatomegaly and abdominal distention in majority. Haemoglobin ranged from 03 to 12 grams per liter with a mean of 6.42+2.19. Mean RBC count was 3.41+0.87 X 109 per liter, mean WBC count 5.15+2.64 X 109 per liter, mean platelet count 49.5+45.8 X 109 per liter and mean Reticulocyte count was 5.54+3.71 X 109 per liter. Conclusion: Visceral leishmaniasis is prevalent in northern areas of Pakistan, where majority of the patients are children. Splenomegaly, persistent irregular fever and pancytopenia are the consistent clinico-haematological features in these patients.
Page(s):
54-56
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Medical Channel: Journal of Modern Dental and Medical Sciences, Volume: 17, Issue: 3, Year: 2011