Visceral leishmaniasis in Costa Rica: First case report

We describe a 15-month-old eutrophic immunocompetent male who presented wit h fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia, and hypergammaglobulinemia. Leis hmania amastigotes were identified in spleen and bone marrow specimens. In addition, tissue culture, animal inoculation, and isoenzyme analysis identi fied the parasite as Leishmania donovani infantum or Leishmania donovani ch agasi. The infant was successfully treated with an antimonial drug. These f indings represent the first case of visceral leishmaniasis reported in Cost a Rica.