INDIAN KALA-AZAR CAUSED BY LEISHMANIA-TROPICA

Kala-azar, or visceral leishmaniasis, in India is generally assumed to be a result of infection with Leishmania donovani. 15 parasite isolat es collected over the past 10 years from patients with classical disea se were typed by monoclonal antibodies, isoenzymes, and kDNA analysis. 4 were shown to be L tropica, a species historically associated with cutaneous disease and more recently a mild ''visceralising'' disease f rom the Desert Storm experience. The results confirm that L tropica is a co-endemic agent of visceral leishmaniasis in India, and may shed l ight on the rising frequency of therapeutic unresponsiveness to sodium antimony gluconate, which complicates treatment of this lethal diseas e.