POST KALA-AZAR OCULAR LEISHMANIASIS

The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of 6 patients with post kala-azar ocular leishmaniasis are described. The eye lesions were as sociated with past or concomitant post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). Four patients had post kala-azar leishmanial conjunctivitis an d blepharitis. Using the polymerase chain reaction, the causative para site was characterized as Leishmania donovani in 2 of these 4 patients . Two patients had post kala-azar anterior uveitis. The diagnosis of u veitis was based on the clinical manifestations, temporal relation to treated visceral leishmaniasis, the association with PKDL and positive anti-leishmania serology. All patients were treated with systemic sod ium stibogluconate. Patients with anterior uveitis were also treated w ith steroid and atropine eyedrops. The response to treatment was good. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment of ocular leishmanias is is stressed.