ETHIOPIAN VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS PATIENTS CO-INFECTED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

This communication reports 7 Ethiopian visceral leishmaniasis (VL) pat ients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The clinica l and laboratory findings in 6 patients did not differ from classical VL. All patients had highly elevated anti-leishmanial antibody titres, determined by immunoglobulin G-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assa y; they most probably acquired the Leishmania infection before HIV. Am astigotes were identified in the splenic aspirates of 6 patients and i n the lymph node aspirate of the 2 patients whose lymph nodes were exa mined. The CD4:CD8 lymphocyte ratio was depressed in those patients wh ose ratio was determined. Most patients showed some initial response t o pentavalent antimonial therapy.