Is used in treatment of kala-azar?

Treatment of kala-azar has been by use of pentavalent antimonials, mainly sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) and meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime). These medicines can only be administered through injection. They are toxic, with many side-effects and the treatment is given over a period of 30 days.

What is kala-azar Slideshare?

KALA AZAR• Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of to the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by the bite of sand fly.• This disease is also known as kala azar, black fever, sandfly disease, Dum-Dum fever.• Human infection is caused by about 21 of 30 species that infect mammals.

Is kala-azar communicable?

Kala azar is endemic in 47 countries with approximately 200 million people at risk of infection. The parasite is spread to humans by bites from infected female sand flies.

How can kala-azar be prevented?

Follow these steps to help prevent being bitten by a sand fly:

1. Wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
2. Use insect repellent on any exposed skin and on the ends of your pants and sleeves.
3. Spray indoor sleeping areas with insecticide.
4. Sleep on the higher floors of a building.

What is kala-azar in English?

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and, without proper diagnosis and treatment, is associated with high fatality. Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania.

Why is it called dum dum fever?

The agent of the disease was also first isolated in India by Scottish doctor William Leishman (who observed the parasite in spleen smears of a soldier who died of the disease in Dumdum, Calcutta, India – hence the name dumdum fever) and Irish physician Charles Donovan, working independently of each other.

Which disease is kala-azar?

Leishmaniasis is caused by a protozoa parasite from over 20 Leishmania species. Over 90 sandfly species are known to transmit Leishmania parasites. There are 3 main forms of the disease: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar is fatal if left untreated in over 95% of cases.

How is kala-azar diagnosed?

The most common serological tests used in the diagnosis of kala–azar are the DAT and the rk39 dipstick tests. These tests indicate the presence of antibodies against Leishmania, therefore confirming the parasite (antigen) is, or was, present in the body.

Is kala-azar elimination in India?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (VL), commonly known as “Kala-azar,” as a public health problem in India by 2020. The elimination target is defined as achieving less than 1 case per 10,000 people at the block level.

Why kala azar turns skin black?

The characteristic skin hyperpigmentation is thought to be caused by melanocyte stimulation and xerosis caused by leishmania infection. the high level of cortisol in patients with visceral leishmaniasis.

Can Leishmania be cured?

Leishmaniasis is a treatable and curable disease, which requires an immunocompetent system because medicines will not get rid of the parasite from the body, thus the risk of relapse if immunosuppression occurs. All patients diagnosed as with visceral leishmaniasis require prompt and complete treatment.

What kind of disease is Kala azar caused by?

Kala-azar (Visceral Leishmaniasis) is a disease caused by the parasite Leishmania donovani and is transmitted in India by the bite of the sand fly vector Phlebotomus argentipes. Leishmaniasis in India exists in two forms, namely, Kala-azar (KA) or Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) and Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL).

Which is the best treatment for kala azar?

The development of rapid diagnostic test kits for use by health workers with minimal training will help in case diagnosis even at the lowest level of health facilities. Treatment of kala-azar has been by use of pentavalent antimonials, mainly sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) and meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime).

How is Kala Azar Elimination Programme Making Progress?

Kala-azar elimination programme has made a significant progress in the endemic states, which are following the programme strategy aimed at elimination of the disease from endemic areas of the country.

When did Goi start kala azar control programme?

Concerned with the increasing incidences of Kala-azar in the country, the Government of India (GoI) launched a Centrally Sponsored Kala-azar Control Programme in the endemic states in 1990- 91 with a strategy as under: