A Non-Endemic Disease in the Marmara Region: Visceral Leishmaniasis

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening systemic infectious disease affecting the reticuloendothelial system. The disease is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmaniasis and is endemic in many parts of the world. Visceral Leishmaniasis has been reported to be endemic in the Aegean, Mediterranean and Southeast Anatolia regions of Turkey and sporadic in other regions. Herein we present an 8-year-old male living in İzmit who presented at the Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital with complaints of fever, fatigue and weight loss, was diagnosed with VL and was successfully treated with liposomal amphotericin-B. It must be kept in mind that VL can be seen in non-endemic areas due to changing environmental conditions, poor living standards and migration and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with fever, weight loss, massive splenomegaly and pancytopenia.