Clinical characteristics and spatial distribution of Visceral leishmaniasis in children in S？o Paulo state: an emerging focus of Visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an emerging zoonosis, and Brazil harbors about 90% of those infected in Latin America. Since 1998, the disease has been spreading quickly in S？o Paulo state, and the western region is considered an emerging focus of VL in Brazil. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and spatial distribution of VL in children referred to a public tertiary hospital located in the western region of S？o Paulo state, Brazil