Evaluation of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Gadarif State Using Ultrasonography

Abstract

This study was intended to assess and evaluate the visceral leishmaniasis in Gadarif state using abdominal ultrasound scan in order to assess the feature changes in abdominal viscera due to this parasitic infection, A retrospective case–control study was conducted among 215 patients (male = 140 and female = 75), coming from kala-azar endemic areas (areas from where VL is regularly reported Gadarif state) with fever of more than 15 days and not responding to antimalarial and antibiotics during the period June 2012 to February 2017 Gadarif state hospital - Sudan. The data of this study was collected by using ultrasound machines. The result of this study showed that the commonest ultrasound findings in VL participants were hepatomegally and splenomegaly. While this study reveals that the most affected gender were male (65.1%), the majority from south Gadarif state region accounted for (62.8%) where usually patient experiences distended bladder and vomiting in (39.5%) and (34.9%) respectively, lower corner of the liver appear to be rounded in (55.3%) which indicated the persistent of hepatomegaly, as well (46.5%) showed hyperecogenic and (83.7%) homogenous liver texture. Same texture noted for spleen and both kidneys. Other complications such as focal liver lesions (4.7%) and dilated portal vein (2.3%) were detected. In conclusion ultrasound scanning presents an effective manifestation of VL, because it can illustrated the impact and consequences of this disease in various abdominal organs such as liver and spleen in respect to duration of disease, which in turn allowing the possibility to treat these complications and prevents the deterioration of a patient’s health status.