Short research communication viscerotropic potential of parasites isolated from post-Kala-Azar dermal leishmaniasis cases: An experimental evidence

摘要

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is marked by the appearance of non-ulcerative skin lesions with Leishmania parasites, which develop after apparent recovery of kala-azar (KA), though less commonly it has been known to occur in patients who have not suffered previously from visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This skin reflection of visceral disease (i.e. PKDL) is characterized by hypopigmented macules and erythematous eruptions leading to formation of papules and nodules in skin without involvement of viscera. The pathology caused by Leishmania parasites in PKDL, is known to be confined to only dermis in the host which raises one of the possibilities for the loss of viscerotropic nature of the parasites. In India, 10% of the patients of kala-azar develop PKDL and now the frequency is declining. The viscerotropic nature of parasite of PKDL case is poorly understood till date and WHO in its technical report series 949 has recommended that studies are needed to determine the role of PKDL's reservoir for transmission of kala-azar. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to elucidate this fact and to know whether the parasites which cause dermatotrophic lesions still retain viscerotropic or not. The study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Institute.