Leishmanial blepharo-conjunctivitis
Nandy, A.; Addy, M.; Chowdhury, A.B.
Tropical and Geographical Medicine 43(3): 303-306
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-3232 PMID: 1667830 Document Number: 378657
A case of blepharo-conjunctivitis due to Leishmania donovani in association with nodules of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) on the chin is described in a 49-year-old man in India. The diagnosis was confirmed by isolation of the parasite in culture. Direct implantation of the parasite by contaminated fingers from the chin nodules to the eye is suggested as the mode of spread. (The patient had a long continued fever (? kala-azar) at the age of 8 years, followed 4 years later by the appearance of hypopigmented patches (? PKDL) on the chin. There were subsequent relapses of the PKDL at the same site at the ages of 22, 33 and 39 years.) The role of cell-mediated immunity in restricting the skin lesions on the chin for 37 years at the same site, was suspected. This is only the 2nd report of ocular involvement in L. donovani infection from India. [The authors] describe a case of blepharo-conjunctivitis due to Leishmania donovani in association with nodules of post kala azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) on the chin. The diagnosis was confirmed by isolation of the parasite in culture. Direct implantation of the parasite by contaminated fingers from the chin nodules to the eye is suggested as the mode of spread. The role of cell-mediated immunity, (CMI) in restricting the skin lesions on the chin for 37 years at the same site, was suspected. This is only the second report of ocular involvement in L. donovani infection from India.AS.