SHORT COMMUNICATION: PDF OnlyDiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV-infected individuals using peripheral blood smearsMartínez, Pilar; de la Vega, Elvira; Laguna, Fernando; Soriano, Vicenç; Puente, Sabino; Moreno, Victoria; Sentchordi, Maria José; García-Aguado, Carlos; González-Lahoz, Juan Author Information Sección de Hematología y Bioquímica and the Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Centro de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. AIDS: February 1993 - Volume 7 - Issue 2 - p 227-230 Buy Abstract Objective To compare the clinical and laboratory features of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in HIV-infected and non-infected subjects, and to determine the presence of Leishmania amastigotes in circulating leukocytes using peripheral blood smears. Patients Twenty-eight HIV-infected and six HIV-negative adult patients diagnosed as having kala-azar presenting at one institution over a 7-year period. Methods Retrospective review of clinical charts and re-examination of peripheral blood smears. Results There were no significant differences in the clinical presentation and laboratory features of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. However, Leishmania amastigotes were observed in circulating leukocytes in eight out of the 17 available peripheral blood smears (15 from HIV-infected patients). All eight individuals presenting with Leishmania in peripheral blood leukocytes were HIV-positive. Conclusions Direct visualization of Leishmania amastigotes in leukocytes on peripheral blood smears enabled the diagnosis of kala-azar in a high proportion [eight out of 15 (53%)] of our HIV-infected patients. © Lippincott-Raven Publishers.
