ArticleBMC infectious diseases2019
Molecular evidence supports the expansion of visceral leishmaniasis towards non-program districts of Nepal.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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14 citing papers in PubMed.
- Decision-making for indoor residual spraying in the post-elimination phase of visceral leishmaniasis in Nepal.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- High Seropositivity to rK39 and Capture of Leishmania-Infected Sand Flies in Bihar and Jharkhand Emphasize the Need for Post-Elimination Surveillance of Visceral Leishmaniasis in India.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Climate change and its impact on spatial and temporal distribution of visceral leishmaniasis transmission risk in Nepal.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- The Elimination Status of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Southeast Asia Region.Acta parasitologica · 2024Review
- Epidemiological, Serological, and Entomological Investigation of New Visceral Leishmaniasis Foci in Nepal.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2024Article
- The role of CD4Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2024Review
- Atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis: a new challenge to VL elimination in South-East Asia.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2024Review
- Ensuring access to essential health products: Lessons from Colombia's leishmaniasis control and elimination initiative.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Review
- Finishing the task of eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in WHO South-East Asia Region: promises kept, challenges, and the way forward.The Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia · 2023Review
- Assessment of the impact of implementation research on the Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) elimination efforts in Nepal.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2023Review
- Molecular Detection and Identification of Piroplasm in Cattle from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Leishmania donovani persistence and circulation causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in unusual-foci of Nepal.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Expanding the scope of novel 1,2,3-triazole derivatives as new antiparasitic drug candidates.RSC medicinal chemistry · 2023Article
- Emergence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Nepal.Tropical medicine and health · 2021Article
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9 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVisceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by a protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani that is transmitted to humans by an infected female sandfly, Phlebotomus argentipes. VL is common in the Indian sub-continent including Nepal and efforts for its elimination are ongoing. However, expansion of disease towards the higher altitude areas, previously considered as VL free in Nepal, may impact the ability to achieve the elimination target by 2020.
methodsThis was an exploratory study, where VL suspected patients living exclusively in the non-program districts of Nepal and presenting with fever > 2 weeks and splenomegaly was included. The patients' blood samples were collected, and DNA was extracted. DNA was subjected to PCR amplification and subsequent sequencing. Additionally, past 10 years data of VL cases from the national databases were analysed to see the trends of the disease in program and non program districts.
resultsAnalysis of the past 10 years data revealed that trend of VL cases significantly decreased in the program districts (p = 0.001) while it increased in the non-program districts (p = 0.002). The national trend for overall incidence of VL also significantly decreased over this time period. Limited number of patients' samples (n = 14) were subjected to molecular investigation, and four patients were found to be positive for Leishmania species by PCR. Interestingly, these cases in non-program districts were indeed also L. donovoni complex. All four patients were male with age ranges from 10 to 68 years. GenBank BLAST of the obtained DNA sequences confirmed identified specimens as L. donovani complex. We identified additional VL cases from non-program districts (including the high lands) of Nepal, indicating that the infection could be an emerging threat for the non-program areas of Nepal.
conclusionThe demonstration of VL cases in areas initially considered non-endemic has raised concern about on-going transmission in those regions and may trigger subsequent government plan and action to include those areas in the elimination program. Thus, the government should consider revising the disease control programs to accommodate non-program districts for achieving the VL elimination goal set for 2020.
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