Resumen

CUELLAR, Gustavo; OVANDO, Fátima  y  MARTINEZ DE CUELLAR, Celia. Visceral leishmaniasis in hospitalized patients: experience in a referral hospital in Paraguay. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. [online]. 2025, vol.20, n.1, pp.8-14. ISSN 1996-3696.  https://doi.org/10.18004/imt/2025.20.1.8.

Leishmaniasis constitutes an emerging disease of global impact, with 12 million infected individuals and more than 2 million new cases annually. In Paraguay, 69 cases were identified in 2022, representing a 19% increase compared to 2021 (58 cases); in 2023, 9 cases were reported by epidemiological week 5. The objective was to determine the clinical and evolutionary characteristics of patients hospitalized with visceral leishmaniasis at the Hospital de Clínicas. Materials and Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study of patients hospitalized between 2012 and 2023 with a diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. Results: We report the clinical characteristics, evolution, treatment, and outcomes of 12 patients diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis hospitalized at the Hospital de Clínicas during the period 2012-2023. The mean age was 42.9±14 years; 10/12 were male. The time elapsed between symptom onset and diagnosis was 96.6±102.4 days. All patients presented with fever and pallor. All exhibited anemia, and the majority had leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Diagnosis was established through RK-39 antigen detection (8/12) and parasite identification in bone marrow (6/12). Treatment was administered with Amphotericin B or Glucantime, with favorable evolution in 11 patients; one patient died, who had experienced a 9-month evolution prior to diagnosis. Conclusion: Fever was a symptom observed in all patients. All patients presented anemia, while leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were observed in the majority of patients, as were splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. The disease evolution time was prolonged, potentially determining the fatal outcome in one patient.

Palabras clave : Leishmaniasis visceral, signs and symptoms, hospitalization; antiprotozoal agents; Amphotericin B.

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