Background
and Aim: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala azar, is a parasitic
disease that caused by infection with Leishmania parasites, which are spread by
the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. An ultrasound examination is strongly
advocated for the promote diagnosis and treatment of VL for long term follow up
and evaluation of unresponsive cases. The aim of this study was to assess the
consequences of VL in the liver, spleen and pancreas of affected participants
by using ultrasound. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was
conducted in the period of January 2012 to March 2014 in the ultrasound
department of Tropical Disease Hospital (TDH) in Khartoum-Sudan, among a group
of 100 participants (84% males, 16% females and their ages ranges from 15 to 45
years) positive to VL and had been diagnosed by laboratory tests; either serological
or Napier’s Aldehyde test. The Aloka portable ultrasound machine equipped with
3.5 MHz convex probe was used for abdominal ultrasound scanning. Standard
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the
results. Results: The commonest ultrasound findings in VL participants were
hepatomegaly (100%), splenomegaly (100%) and ascites (50%). Other complications
such as lymphadenopathy (35%), focal splenic lesions (34%), dilated portal vein
(7%) and shrinkage liver (4%) were detected. Conclusion: Ultrasound scanning
presents an effective role in VL, because of its ability to detect the
consequences of this disease in various abdominal organs such as liver, spleen
and pancreas earlier, which in turn allowing the possibility to treat these
complications and prevents the deterioration of a patient’s health status.
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