EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF VISCERAL AND CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN BARINGO DISTRICT, RIFT-VALLEY, KENYA - A LITERATURE-REVIEW

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by Leishmania donovani, is endemic in Baringo District, Kenya. The disease has a focal distribution in t he dry, hot areas below 1500 metres, Infections may be characterized a s follows: 1) asymptomatic, 2) subclinical and self limiting (not medi cally identifiable), and 3) clinically manifest disease (that is medic ally identifiable), Half of the reported VL patients are between 5 and 14 years of age and 66% of them are males. The reasons for the focal distribution and for the age and sex preference are discussed, Phlebot omus martini is the vector of the parasite, and man is the only known reservoir. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), due to Leishmania major, is r are in humans, but underreporting is likely. The vector, Phlebotomus d uboscqi, is mainly found in animal burrows where it feeds on rodents w hich are frequently infected, A human case of a mixed L, donovani and L. major infection has been reported in this dual focus of VL and CL.