Chronic diarrhea and malabsorption caused by Leishmania donovani

Indian J Gastroenterol. 2006 Nov-Dec;25(6):309-10.

Abstract

Chronic diarrhea and malabsorption are uncommon in immunocompetent patients with visceral leishmaniasis. We report two immunocompetent patients with visceral leishmaniasis where the predominant presentation was chronic diarrhea. One of them had clinically overt malabsorption and duodenal mucosa was loaded with Leishmania donovani bodies. The other patient had diffuse colonic aphthous and discrete ulcerations and Leishmania donovani bodies were seen in the crush smears of the colonic mucosa. With amphotericin B, there was reversal of malabsorption and healing of colonic ulcers.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amphotericin B / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Diarrhea / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / parasitology
  • Leishmania donovani / isolation & purification*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / diagnosis*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / drug therapy
  • Malabsorption Syndromes / diagnosis
  • Malabsorption Syndromes / parasitology*
  • Male

Substances

  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Amphotericin B