Visceral childhood leishmaniasis in Turkey

Between 1981 and 2001. we retrospectively analysed 40 cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) admitted to the Paediatric Infection Unit of Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital, in the middle Black Sea region of Turkey. Median age at presentation was 3 y. Fever and splenomegaly were found in all patients. Bone marrow smear examination resulted in the diagnosis of VL in 95% of cases. All patients were treated initially with meglumine antimonate and 95% of them were cured with this therapy. The remaining patients were cured with liposomal amphotericin B. Conclusions: VL should be considered in patients with fever and splenomegaly, particularly those residing in the Mediterranean region. Meglumine antimonate seems to be the first choice of treatment in childhood.