Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) (Kala-Azar) is one of the most important health-related parasitic infectious disease. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is an endemic disease in Iran and more than 80 countries worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Infants with VL.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 31 patients with diagnosis of VL in Ardabil city hospital, Iran, during 2011-6. The questionnaire included demographic information such as age, gender, weight, place of living, level of family education, family history of diseases, and symptoms to complete the specified goals.
Results: Of all cases, 18 (58.1%) were girls and the rest were boys. The average age of the patients was 25.8 ± 32.3 months. More than half (61.3%) of the patients were in the Moghan County (Ghermi, Parsabad, Aslandooz). Clinical symptoms began in 10 (32.3%) patients in winter. Fever was the most commonly observed clinical symptom in children with VL (93.5%). Of 27 children with a history of symptom onset, 17 children (63%) were diagnosed at the interval of 2-4 weeks. The result of the DAT test was positive in 27 children (87.1%) and the rest were negative. In the clinical presentation of patients, fever, anemia and enlargement of the spleen and liver were common.
Conclusion: The use of DAT in combination with clinical symptoms seems to be more suitable for initiating treatment than bone marrow aspiration in all patients.
Key words: Visceral Leishmaniasis, epidemiologic, Kala-azar, Ardabil
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