Visceral leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease characterized by chronic course, elevation of body temperature, involvement of internal organs – liver and spleen enlargement, anemia, leukocyte and platelet count reduction, total exhaustion and immune system suppression.
The disease is caused by a group of Leishmania, united under the name Leishmania donovani complex. The source and reservoir of the infection are dogs, foxes, jackals and wolves, as well as wild rodents. The disease is transmitted by a bite of phlebotomus (small up to 3 mm flying and biting insects) and can be found in certain geographic areas where natural conditions are present for occurrence of the contamination to occur. No vaccine has been created.
Leishmaniasis can also be found in Bulgaria, its variety of Mediterranean type, which nearly equally affects children and elderly people. In this form of the disease is also characterized by skin injuries. A person is infected with the disease by chance, by being bitten by a phlebotomus during a stay in nature, in connection with labor, cattle breeding, travel, tourism and recreation. Because the stay in nature is mostly in the summer and early autumn, the disease’s manifestation is seasonal, usually in the late autumn or spring of next year. Visceral leishmaniasis is often confused with other diseases, such as anemia, influenza, malaria, thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, viral hepatitis, protein deficiency, salmonellosis, brucellosis, tuberculosis, as it occurs with overly common symptoms – prolonged temperature states, enlarged lymph nodes, skin paleness, decrease in hemoglobin, data of an inflammatory process.
There is a tendency observed towards a gradual increase in morbidity. There are also cases with lethal end due to the fact that the disease was not recognized in time and adequate treatment was not applied.
IMDL CITY LAB provides its patients with early, rapid and inexpensive detection of the disease in its early stage by administering Rapid Test NADAL IgM/IgG, rapid immunochromatographic tests designed to detect antibodies to the visceral leishmaniasis agent.
Only IMDL “City Lab” performs a test for Visceral Leishmaniasis in Varna and the district. Such and similar quantification tests may also be carried out at the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Sofia. To conduct the test, literally one drop of blood is needed from the tested person. The test time is 15 minutes.
This leads to an accurate diagnosis or the rejection of a possible misdiagnosis and timely treatment. The contribution of this test to the further fate of the patient is indispensable.