Leishmaniasis (Kala azar), is a group of diseases caused by one type of protozoan that are endemic in 88 countries with an estimated 350 million people at risk of infection. The overall prevalence of the leishmaniasis is estimated at 12 million cases with 5.5 million new visceral leishmaniasis cases per year. In recent years there have been major endemics of visceral leishmaniasis with high loss of life in Southern and Eastern India, Bangladesh and Northeast Brazil.
The infection of leishmaniasis are related to environmental changes such as deforestation, building of dams, new irrigation schemes, urbanization and migration of non-immune people to endemic areas. It seriously hampers productivity and vitally of the socioeconomic progress.
Leishmaniasis / HIV co- infection:
Leishmaniasis is spreading in several areas of the world as a result of epidemiological changes which sharply increase the over lapping of AIDS and visceral leishmaniasis. So far, 3 countries worldwide have reported co-infections of leishmaniasis with HIV.
Intravenous drug users have been identified as the main population at risk.