Why does the spleen enlarge in kala-azar?
Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala Azar is a chronic infectious disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania donovani complex that can cause various hematologic manifestations. It is characterized by fever, enlargement of liver and spleen, weight loss, pancytopenia and hypergammaglobinemia.
What is the definition of kala-azar?
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar is fatal if left untreated in over 95% of cases. It is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia. Most cases occur in Brazil, East Africa and in India.
Which organ is most affects in kala-azar?
Kala-azar is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, substantial weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver and severe anaemia.
How does leishmaniasis affect the spleen?
Severe forms of visceral leishmaniasis are associated with disorganization of spleen compartments where cell interactions essential for splenic immunological function take place. White pulp atrophies, secondary lymphoid follicles and marginal zones vanish, and the boundaries separating white and red pulp blur.
What is inflammation of the spleen called?
Overview. Splenomegaly is a condition that occurs when your spleen becomes enlarged. It’s also commonly referred to as enlarged spleen or spleen enlargement.
Which organ is affected by kala-azar Class 9?
Kala-Azar is a slow progressing indigenous disease caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. The parasite primarily infects the reticulo-endothelial system and may be found in abundance in bone marrow, spleen and liver.
What is spleen disease?
Your spleen is an organ that sits just below your left rib cage. Many conditions — including infections, liver disease and some cancers — can cause an enlarged spleen. An enlarged spleen is also known as splenomegaly (spleh-no-MEG-uh-lee). An enlarged spleen usually doesn’t cause symptoms.
What is purpose of spleen?
The spleen has some important functions: it fights invading germs in the blood (the spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells) it controls the level of blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets) it filters the blood and removes any old or damaged red blood cells.
What is kala-azar Wikipedia?
Kala azar, also called visceral leishmaniasis, is a disease in which a parasite migrates to the internal organs such as the liver, spleen (hence “visceral”), and bone marrow. If left untreated, will almost always result in the death of the host.
What is the meaning of black fever?
Definition of black fever : any of various febrile diseases characterized by a hemorrhagic rash: such as. a : kala-azar. b : rocky mountain spotted fever. c : typhus sense 1a.
Where exactly is the spleen?
Your spleen is located in the upper left region of your abdomen – just behind your stomach and under your diaphragm. It is soft and purple, shaped like a very small smooth rounded catcher’s mitt with notches on its upper front edge.
What is function of spleen?
What is Kala azar and what causes it?
Kala azar is a condition also called as ‘Visceral leishmaniasis’ and is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, substantial weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and anemia (which may be serious). 1 It is a vector borne disease caused by the Sand fly of genus Phlebotomus argentipes – the only known vectors of kala-azar in India. 2
What is Kala-azar disease?
Kala-azar: A chronic and potentially fatal parasitic disease of the viscera (the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes) due to infection by the parasite called Leishmania donovani.
Is Kala azar the most deadly parasite?
Kala-Azar is the world’s second-leading parasite killer. Kala-azar, like Chagas disease and sleeping sickness, is one of the most deadly tropical diseases (NTDs). Malaria is the only disease that is more harmful. Kala Azar is endemic in 47 countries, with an estimated 200 million people at risk.