How much do you know about the terrible black fever?

This is the 4762nd article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Among many diseases, kala-azar may not be well known to the public, but this does not mean that we can ignore it. As a chronic parasitic disease caused by Leishmania infection, kala-azar poses a threat to human health. Let's go into the world of kala-azar and learn more about its definition, treatment measures, prevention methods and key points.

1. Definition: What is kala-azar?

Kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of sand flies. Leishmania is the pathogen of this disease, which mainly parasitizes the mononuclear macrophage system of the human body, such as the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. After infection, patients may experience symptoms such as fever, hepatosplenomegaly, weight loss and skin pigmentation. Since these symptoms include skin pigmentation, which makes the skin appear black, it is named "kala-azar".

2. Treatment measures: How to deal with kala-azar?

There are two main methods for the treatment of kala-azar:

1. Physical therapy

Drugs targeting Leishmania are mainly used, such as sodium antimony gluconate and pentavalent antimony agents. These drugs can kill the Leishmania parasites in the body, thereby achieving the purpose of treatment.

2. Surgery

Some complications of kala-azar, such as an enlarged spleen and abdominal effusion, may require surgery.

3. Prevention: How to prevent kala-azar?

The best way to prevent kala-azar is to stop its transmission, including:

1. Prevent and kill crickets

Sandflies are the vector of kala-azar, so avoiding sandfly bites is the key to preventing kala-azar. Taking measures to eliminate sandfly habitats, such as filling potholes around houses and clearing weeds, can effectively reduce the density of sandflies. At the same time, personal protective measures such as using mosquito nets and mosquito repellent can be used to avoid sandfly bites.

2. Health education

Strengthen public health education to raise people's awareness of kala-azar and preventive measures. Educate people to pay attention to personal hygiene, keep the environment clean, and avoid sleeping outdoors.

3. Disease monitoring

Establish a sound disease monitoring system to promptly detect and deal with epidemics and prevent their spread.

IV. Current Status and Future Challenges of Kala-Azar

Although the incidence of kala-azar is decreasing year by year in my country, we still need to pay attention to the following points:

1. Regionality

Kala-azar is mainly distributed in some areas of my country, such as Xinjiang, Gansu, Sichuan, etc. In these areas, prevention and control measures should be strengthened to reduce the incidence rate.

2. Zoonotic

In addition to human-to-human transmission, kala-azar can also be transmitted through animals, such as dogs and rats. Therefore, in the prevention and control process, attention should also be paid to the management and prevention of animal hosts.

3. International cooperation

In the context of globalization, international epidemic communication and cooperation are of great significance to preventing the cross-border spread of kala-azar. Strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries and jointly formulating prevention and control strategies will help control the cross-border spread of the disease.

4. Vaccine development

Although existing treatments are effective, the development of vaccines remains a future research direction. Improving the immunity of the population through vaccination can prevent the spread of the disease at its root.

5. Scientific research

Strengthen scientific research to gain a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis, transmission routes and drug resistance of kala-azar, and provide a scientific basis for the formulation of prevention and control strategies.

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University

Supervisor: Pei Honghong, Chief Physician of Emergency Department

Written by: Emergency Department Nurse Zheng Xin