VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL MANIFESTATION IN A 30-YEAR OLD HIV-INFECTED FEMALE-PATIENT

We report the case of a 30-years old HIV-infected woman who suffered from recurrent fever up to 41-degrees-C, loss of appetite, loss of 8 kg body weight and swelling of the cervical and inguinal lymphnodes. The diagnostic work-up revealed infection with leishmania in gastric and duodenal biopsies. The parasites were also found in the inguinal lymphnodes and in the bone marrow of the patient. According to patient's history the infection was acquired on a holiday in southern spain. The patient was treated with pentavalent antimony in combination with interferon gamma. Visceral leishmaniosis in immuno-suppressed patients is discussed and therapeutic approaches are discribed.