Visceral Leishmaniasis Misdiagnosed as Malignant Lymphoma

Akio KAWAKAMI; Toshiaki FUKUNAGA; Michio USUI; Hiroshi ASAOKA; Makoto NODA; Takatoshi NAKAJIMA; Yuji HASHIMOTO; Akira TANAKA; Yukio KISHI; Fujio NUMANO

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.35.502

Akio KAWAKAMI, Toshiaki FUKUNAGA, Michio USUI, Hiroshi ASAOKA, Makoto NODA, Takatoshi NAKAJIMA, Yuji HASHIMOTO, Akira TANAKA, Yukio KISHI, Fujio NUMANO

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Keywords: Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani, fever of unknown origin

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1996 Volume 35 Issue 6 Pages 502-506

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.35.502

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Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis is a chronic infectious disease caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania, characterized by intermittent fever, monocytosis, hepatosplenomegaly and hypergammaglobulinemia. This morbid condition is rather difficult to diagnose correctly, especially at its early stage, because it is rarely encountered in Japan. Recently we treated a case of visceral leishmaniasis in which the patient was misdiagnosed as malignant lymphoma, and went through splenectomy and steroid administration, which made the diagnosis more difficult.
(Internal Medicine 35: 502-506, 1996)

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