Parasitic Diseases Lectures #8: Visceral Leishmaniasis

Dickson and Daniel discuss visceral leishmaniasis caused by the protozoan parasites Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum.

[alessandroberetta]

I got Visceral Leishmaniosi. It's a really scary disease. I had fever for 18 days before getting diagnosed. Low white cells, low red cells and anemia and others markers were low. CPR was 150 extremely high and also VES was 130. The igG and other were high. Then profuse night sweats, my skin was white no appetite, no energy, weight loss a little bit of cough and spleen was big 14cm bit the liver wasn't big. First simptom were several lumps on my neck but unfortunately I was misdiagnosed as Castleman's disease from a biopsy for one month before the fever popped up. Then I got sick. I ended up into the hospital and they founded visceral leishmaniosis in my bone marrow. Unfortunately this disease is even difficult to get diagnosed at first. Then I was treated by Ambisome and immediately the fever faded. Now I got 10kg in 2 months I'm completely in remission thanks God.

[fliptscript]

I live in the Chicago land area, and in July of 2024 I was swarmed by sand flies at a Michigan City Beach. After that attack, I have grown progressively sicker everyday since. I was completely healthy before that day. I've now had a heart ablation, I'm now on oxygen 100% of the time, my bones ache my joints ache my lesions are out of control. I'm nauseous, I'm told I have a fatty liver now and I've never drank or been a heavy drinker. My body is starting to totally take a crap on me. I was completely healthy before that day, I can't get a single doctor or specialist in my area to take this seriously because of the geographical hurdle like people like you keep putting in their videos and putting out there to the general public. This has migrated due to climate change in general migration. There's been cases in the southwest the United States. It's moving upward and north. And I believe I might be the first documented case once I get my diagnosis. Which is taking me a year to get proper referrals to downstate in Indianapolis at the larger hospitals University hospitals and at the University of Chicago in Illinois. I'm going on a year now undiagnosed, and I'm scared because there's a 2-year life expectancy of an undiagnosed individual with this disease. I don't know where to turn and it's just been a waiting game. I really wish that people like you would stop misinforming people by telling them that this isn't in the United States because believe me it is. If you don't believe me, then I can provide you with reputable sources from many different medical experts that will prove otherwise and have proven otherwise at speaking conventions on the topic, not to mention writing very good articles trying to get the word out about this unknown disease of the poor.

[lydiademarek]

6:18 Kala-Azar etymology is Hindi (language), not Hindu (religion) :)

I was going to ask why you needed to do the bone marrow aspirates if you already had a positive rK39 dipstick, but then I remembered you saying that the get the species was important, and so then doing the NAAT on the aspirate. Great lectures!

[teshaledugda]

Comprehensive video, Can we get the pdf of this presentation?

[fliptscript]

Then why do I live in Indiana, and I am more positive with every fiber of my being that I have Leishmaniasis, cutaneous and visceral?

[Nysarak]

Thank you for this amazing video. Thumbs up!

[Xyz-psg]

The map of India is incorrect.. You should include POK as well

[mounirguerram]

Is Visceral Leishmaniasis intracellular obligatory parasite ?