Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by the suction of blood of some species of sandflies, affects various age groups depending on the infecting Leishmania species, geographic location, disease reservoir, and host immunocompetence. Visceral leishmaniasis is the most severe form of the disease which, if left untreated, could have a life-threatening course.
The extent and presentation of the disease depend on several factors, including the humoral and cell-mediated immune response of the host, the virulence of the infecting species, and the parasite burden. Intermittent fever, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, lymph node enlargement, thrombocytopaenia, rapid weight loss, anaemia, leukopaenia and hypergammaglobulinaemia are the most common findings of visceral leishmaniasis.
The authors describe two cases of paediatric visceral leishmaniasis diagnosed in the Czech Republic. Both children were infected in Mediterranean countries several months before clinical presentation.