Author(s)

Joseph Mad-Toïngué^1*, Mahamat Ali Ahmat¹, Oumaïma Mahamat Djarma¹, Alifa Adjibera Philippe¹, Ali Mahamat Moussa², Ngakoutou Rangar³, Choua Ouchemi⁴, Mahamat Ali Bolti⁵, Djiddi Ali Sougoudi⁵, Mamissou Didi¹, Mahamat Doungous Atim¹

¹Service des Maladies Infectieuses, CHU de Référence Nationale, N’Djamena, Chad.
²Service de Gastroentérologie et Médecine Interne, CHU de Référence Nationale, N’Djamena, Chad.
³Service de Pneumologie et Phtisiologie, CHU de Référence Nationale, N’Djamena, Chad.
⁴Service de Chirurgie viscérale, CHU de Référence Nationale, N’Djamena, Chad.
⁵Service de Médecine, CHU de la Renaissance, N’Djamena, Chad.

Introduction: leishmaniasis is a group of parasitic diseases caused by a parasite of the genus Leishmania transmitted by the bite of an infected vector called a sandfly. There are four forms. Visceral leishmaniasis is the most severe form. The aim of our work is to study the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic aspects of the disease in the Infectious Diseases Department of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Référence Nationale in N'Djaména. Methodology: Patients were recruited on the basis of clinical signs suggestive of visceral leishmaniasis, i.e. prolonged fever, splenomegaly and altered general condition. Biological confirmation was performed with a rapid diagnostic test using recombinant K39 parasite antigen, which is known to have good specificity and sensitivity. Epidata version 3.1 software was used to process patient data. Results: From 05/04/21 to 15/12/23, 153 positive cases were managed. The mean age of patients was 18 years, with a sex ratio of 9.2. Of these patients, 103 (67.3%) had recently stayed at gold mining sites. Patients testing positive were treated with sodium stibogluconate combined with paromomycin for 17 days. The mortality rate was 13.2%. Conclusion: Leishmaniasis is a serious and little-known disease in Chad. In order to respond to the disease, it is necessary to reinforce the capacities of health structures and to carry out appropriate actions in the outbreaks.

Visceral Leishmaniasis, Gold Mining Sites, Chad

Mad-Toïngué, J. , Ahmat, M. , Djarma, O. , Philippe, A. , Moussa, A. , Rangar, N. , Ouchemi, C. , Bolti, M. , Sougoudi, D. , Didi, M. and Atim, M. (2024) Visceral Leishmaniasis at the National Reference University Hospital Center of N’Djamena (Chad): Epidemiological, Clinical, Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Prognostic Aspects. Advances in Infectious Diseases, 14, 478-486. doi: 10.4236/aid.2024.142034.