Clinical Microbiology: Open Access

Changing trends in epidemiology of leishmaniasis in HIV co-infected patients in India

3^rd International Conference on Clinical Microbiology & Microbial Genomics

September 24-26, 2014 Valencia Convention Centre, Spain

Sarman Singh

Accepted Abstracts: Clin Microbial

Abstract:

After HIV epidemic, several countries reported co-infections of HIV and Leishmania. The co-infection of these two pathogens results into rapid disease progression, more severe disease and poor response to treatment. The first case of VL-HIV co-infection from India was published in 1999, after which several new cases of co-infections are reported. But the proportion has been low (0.029-0.4%) as in comparison to other countries where both these diseases are co-endemic, especially southern Europe. So far only 86 cases of VL-HIV and 8 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and HIV have been published since 1999 to date. More than 2 cases of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis with HIV and one case of post-kala-azar mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (PKML) have also been reported. Though the first case of VL-HIV co-infection was reported from sub-Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, most cases are reported from VL endemic region of Bihar. Similarly, most CL-HIV co-infections were published from Rajasthan, a western state of India, endemic for CL. But at least 2 cases from non-endemic states of South India are also reported. Most cases were seen during 1997-2007 and after that number of new cases has gone down. This could be due to low HIV prevalence in VL and CL endemic regions and also due to availability of free HAART for HIV infected patients. Atypical characteristics noted were high relapse and fatality rates despite treatment with liposomal amphotericin-B. Also diagnostic sensitivity of serological tests was found lower in co-infected patients as compared to HIV negative VL patients.

Biography :

Sarman Singh has completed his MBBS from KGMC, Lucknow and MD from PGIMER, Chandigarh, India, in 1984. He was also trained at Chicago Medical School, Chicago; University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor; Harvard Medical School & Natal University, South Africa. He is the director of Clinical Microbiology Division, at the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He has published more than 300 papers in reputed journals, including Lancet, Cell, PNAS etc. and serving as editorial board member of several reputed journals and Editor-In-Chief of Journal of Laboratory Physicians. He has 7 patents and several awards to his credit.