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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 19 July, 2022

  • 7 Min Read

KALA-AZAR or BLACK FEVER

KALA-AZAR OR BLACK FEVER

According to reports, eleven districts of Bengal have reported at least 65 cases of black fever or kala-azar in the last couple of weeks.

About Kala-azar

  • It is a slow progressing indigenous disease that is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania.
  • Kala-azar or leishmaniases is one of the most dangerous neglected tropical diseases which is endemic in 76 countries, with approximately 200 million people at risk of infection.

Forms:

There are 3 major forms of leishmaniasisvisceral (also known as kala-azar, which is the most serious form of the disease), cutaneous (the most common where the skin is affected), and mucocutaneous.

Transmission:

  • Leishmania parasites are transmitted through the bites of infected female phlebotomine sandflies, which mainly feed on blood to produce the eggs.
  • Some 70 animal species, including humans, have been found as natural reservoir hosts of Leishmania parasites.

Impacts:

  • The disease affects some of the poorest people and is associated with malnutrition, population displacement, poor housing, a weak immune system, and an increased burden on financial resources.
  • Leishmaniasis is also linked to environmental changes such as deforestation, the building of dams, irrigation schemes, and even urbanization.

Prevention and control:

Prevention and control of leishmaniasis require a combination of intervention strategies.

  • It is a treatable and even 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.
  • Effective disease surveillance is important to promptly monitor and act during epidemics and situations with high case fatality rates under treatment.

Source: The Hindu


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