Published: 12th Jan, 2023
Context
Recently, informed by the Ministry of Health that the Kala-azar cases in India fell to 834 in 2022 from 44,533 in 2007 — a 98.7 percent decline.
About
About the disease:
- Kala-azar or black fever is a chronic and potentially fatal parasitic disease of the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes.
- Caused by: It is caused by bites from female phlebotomine sandflies – the vector (or transmitter) of the leishmania parasite.
- Transmission: Leishmania donovani is transmitted by sandfly bites in parts of Asia (primarily India), Africa (primarily Sudan), South America (primarily Brazil), Europe (primarily in the Mediterranean region) and in North America.
- According to WHO, if the disease is not treated, the fatality rate in developing countries can be as high as 100% within 2 years.
Symptoms of Kala azar:
- Fever, loss of appetite (anorexia), fatigue, enlargement of the liver, spleen and nodes and suppression of the bone marrow.
Diagnosing Kala azar:
- The first oral drug found to be effective for treating kala-azar is miltefosine.
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