Haematological findings in relation to clinical findings of visceral Leishmaniasis in Hazara Division.

BACKGROUND: Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) has worldwide distribution including Pakistan. The disease is characterized by a spectrum of clinical features along with serious complications in untreated cases. This study describes the correlation between clinical manifestations with haematological changes of VL in Hazara Division. METHODS: This cross sectional study was carried out in the children wards of Women & Children Hospital an Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad. Seventy cases were included in this study, Sign, symptoms, complications and haematological parameters were recorded in detail and their comparison was carried out. RESULTS: Majority of the patients (98.57%) presented with fever followed by abdominal distension (47%) Pallor, (44%) weight loss (43%) diarrhoea (17%), vomiting (15%) and epitasis (8%) and hepatosplenomegaly was found in about 83% along with lymphadenopathy (20%) purpura (13%) and peripheral oedema (11%). Laboratory findings revealed anaemia in all the cases followed by neutropenia 43%, lymphocytosis 86% with thrombocytopenia 79%. Bone marrow in most of these cases showed myeloid hyperplasia with increased megakaryocytosis. CONCLUSION: There exists a new focus of visceral leishmaniasis in Hazara Division. The disease mainly affects children below 5 years and is more common in males than in female children. Bone marrow examination provides a reliable and simple tool for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis and the condition can be affectively managed with Sodium stibogluconate or meglumine antimoniate.