kala-azar

kala-azar A chronic and potentially fatal parasitic disease of the viscera (the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and lymph nodes) due to infection by the parasite Leishmania donovani. Leishmania donovani is transmitted by sandfly bites in parts of Asia (primarily India), Africa (primarily Sudan), and South America (primarily Brazil). Kala-azar can cause no or few symptoms but typically it is associated with fever, loss of appetite, fatigue, enlargement of the liver, spleen, and nodes; and suppression of the bone marrow. Kala-azar also increases the risk of other secondary infections. The term “kala-azar” comes from India where it is the Hindi for black fever. The disease is also known as Indian leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis, leishmania infection, dumdum fever, black sickness, and black fever. See also Leishmania; leishmaniasis.