Visceral Leishmaniasis with Massive Pulmonary Involvement: A Case Report

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an endemic disease in East and South Africa and the Mediterranean area. Fever, splenomegaly, and weakness are the most common symptoms of VL, but pulmonary involvement is very rare. The present study reports a patient with VL and pulmonary complication. An 18-year-old immunocompetent patient was referred to a local hospital with submandibular lymphadenopathy, nonproductive cough, and occasional fever. In spiral chest CT scan, bilateral massive bronchopulmonary consolidation with a diffused nodular pattern was seen. After a few days, because of absent response to antibiotic therapy and prednisolone, fine needle aspiration from pulmonary nodules was done that showed multiplex Leishman bodies. The patient showed a good response to amphotericin B and glucantime.