Visceral leishmaniasis in Pakistani children.

Visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in Pakistan. No studies of visceral leishmaniasis in childhood have been reported from Pakistan. We prospectively studied clinical and laboratory features in 58 Pakistani children with visceral leishmaniasis. Mean age of the children was 2.9 years. Fever, pallor, and abdominal distention were the most common clinical manifestations, and hematologic abnormalities were the most common laboratory findings. All children recovered after antimicrobial therapy. Pakistani children with visceral leishmaniasis tended to be younger than affected children from Africa and were less likely to have lymphadenopathy.