Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL; also known as kala-azar) is an ultimately fatal disease endemic in the Indian state of Bihar, while HIV/AIDS is an emerging disease in this region. A 2011 observational cohort study conducted in Bihar involving 55 VL/HIV co-infected patients treated with 20–25 mg/kg intravenous liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) estimated an 85.5% probability of survival and a 26.5% probability of VL relapse within 2 years. Here we report the long-term field outcomes of a larger cohort of co-infected patients treated with this regimen between 2007 and 2012.

In 2005, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal joined forces to eliminate Visceral Leishmaniasis (or kala-azar) from the region by 2015. In Bangladesh the elimination target is set at less than one new case per 10,000 population per year at upazila (sub-district) level. As the deadline approaches, we review the status of the elimination initiative in this country.

MUZAFFARPUR: A single dose of ambisome injection has cured 16 kala-azar patients in a single day at Kala-azar Research Centre being run by Dr T K Jha in Bramhapura locality here.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on tropical diseases in India, 12/08/2014.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has intensified its response to the cholera outbreak in South Sudan after 63 people have lost their lives and 2,340 people treated for the disease.

PATNA: CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has said the state government would take support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for complete eradication of kala-azar.

With the beginning of summer season, an outbreak of kalaazar has hit Morang district.

Though Bihar's contribution to the incidence of kala-azar countrywide has declined from 80% in 2009 to 77% in 2013, the figure still remains the highest across India.

The number of kala-azar patients increased in Morang district of late.

Climate change : Evidence, impact on vector borne diseases and remedial measures - A presentation by Ramesh C Dhiman at the 4th National Research Conference on Climate Change, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, October 26-27, 2013.

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