Abstract
Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) type in Syria is Lashmania infantum, a fatal incapacitating
disease, which is mostly seen in infants. Subjects and Methods: Hospital records of 19 children with VL were retrospectively reviewed. The period
of the study was from June 2016 to July 2019. Results: The median age of the patients was 45.5 months. None was coinfected with human immunodeficiency
virus or known to be immunocompromised. Pallor and anemia were observed in all cases,
fever in 13 (68.42%), splenomegaly in 18 (94.7%), hepatomegaly in 11 (57.9%), thrombocytopenia
in 15 (78.95%), and leukopenia in nine (47.4%). A bone marrow aspirate was obtained
and Leishmania amastigotes were detected in all patients. All patients were initially treated with
meglumine antimonate; one child did not respond and was treated with lipid formulations
of amphotericin B. Conclusions: Presentation of VL in the pediatric age group is characterized by pallor, fever,
splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. Hematological and biochemical indices are typical
with cytopenias. In all cases, microscopic examination provided a positive diagnosis.
Despite recent reports on decreased responses to antimonial drugs of patients with
Mediterranean VL, meglumine antimonate treatment appears to be still highly effective
in Syria.
Keywords
Children - Leishmania infantum - meglumine antimonate - pediatric - visceral leishmaniasis
