Global impact of visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani: perspectives, diagnosis and prevention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62305/biosana.v5i4.677Keywords:
epidemiological control; morbidity and mortality; PRISMA; parasitologyAbstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a serious and neglected parasitic disease that primarily affects vulnerable populations in tropical and subtropical regions. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, diagnosis, and control strategies for this pathology caused by the Leishmania donovani species. A systematic review was conducted under PRISMA 2020 guidelines, applying Boolean operators AND, OR, and MeSH in databases such as PubMed, SciELO, Google Scholar, Elsevier, and Redalyc. Fifty-seven studies were selected from 250 identified. Among the results, visceral leishmaniasis presented critical prevalences in Kenya (70%) and Iran (64.5%), with incidences of 5.3% and 4% respectively, followed by Pakistan with 43.88% and 4%. Diagnostic methods such as serological tests, ELISA, and immunofluorescence were identified. Finally, the most notable preventive measures included vector control, community education, and epidemiological surveillance. It is concluded that strengthening early diagnosis and integrated policies are essential to reducing the global burden of visceral leishmaniasis.
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