VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS DURING PREGNANCY TREATED WITH MEGLUMINE ANTIMONIATE

Data on the efficacy and safety of pentavalent antimony in the treatme nt of visceral leishmaniasis during pregnancy are scanty. A case of vi sceral leishmaniasis in a 39-year-old woman in the second trimester of pregnancy is reported here. The patient was hospitalized in poor cond ition with high fever and pancytopenia which lad lasted for 6 weeks. A bone marrow aspirate revealed numerous amastigotes and serodiagnosis for Leishmania was positive at a high titer. The patient was successfu lly treated with meglumine antimoniate at a daily dose of 850 mg of an timony for 20 days. She delivered at term a healthy female baby who re mains in good condition at 18 months of age. Thus a dose of 850 mg of antimony, which is lower than that presently recommended, seems to be effective and non toxic to the fetus when administered at the second t rimester of pregnancy.