Kala-azar, or visceral leishmaniasis (VL), is a life-threatening tropical disease caused by the Leishmania parasite and transmitted through bites of infected female sandflies.Common symptoms include prolonged fever, significant weight loss, enlarged spleen and liver, and anemia.Without timely treatment, the disease can be fatal.India contributes to about 18% of global kalaazar cases, with the highest burden found in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.However, sporadic cases also emerge in other states such as Assam, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, among others, indicating its wider geographical presence.e disease primarily affects poor, rural populations with limited access to healthcare.Despite ongoing elimination efforts, kala-azar remains a persistent public health challenge in India.Effective control requires improved surveillance, early diagnosis, accessible treatment, and community awareness to manage and ultimately eliminate the disease across both endemic and non-endemic regions of the country 123
Kadar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.