The dreaded Kala- Azar usually a disease of eastern Indian plains has shown its presence in the Himalyan State of Uttarakhand. One patient admitted in the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) in the provisional State Capital is diagnosed with the disease.
The doctors treating the patient, a resident of Pauri district were surprised when he was found suffering from the disease. Senior physician of the hospital, Dr Mukesh Sundariyal told The Pioneer that the patient was suffering from persistent fever and had a swollen spleen. He said that pathology tests have now revealed that the patient is suffering from Kala- Azar. Dr Sundariyal informed that the patient is under treatment and opinion of dermatologist is also being sought. It is learnt that the patient belongs to Pauri and has not travelled outside the district for long. The medical experts opine that the presence of the patient signals that the causative agent lieshmania donovani (a Protozoan parasite) is present and active in the area which is an alarming situation.
When contacted the State Programme Officer of National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDP) Dr Kiran Bisht denied any knowledge of any case of Kala Azar in the State. When informed that the patient suffering from this disease is admitted in associated hospital of GDMC, she said that the department has not yet received any information. Dr Bisht accepted that the disease is a rarity in Uttarakhand.
After malaria, Kala Azar is the second biggest parasitic killer in the world. This disease is spread by sand fly. In India the disease is reported from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Assam. The symptoms of the disease are intermittent or remittent fever, loss of appetite, progressive emaciation and weight loss. The spleen and liver of the patient are enlarged. Humans are only reservoir of the parasite. The female sand flies pick up the parasite while feeding on infected patient and transmit it to the healthy persons.
Inside the human body the parasite migrates to internal organs like liver, spleen and even the bone marrow and if untreated the infection becomes fatal.