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 leishmaniasis – visceral (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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