Hemophagocytic syndrome associated with visceral leishmaniasis

Hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) is a clinico-pathologic entity characterized by activation and uncontrolled non-malignant proliferation of T lymphocytes and macrophages. This syndrome, more properly referred to as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), is a rare disorder of infancy and early childhood.1,2 The association of HLH and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is only rarely found in adults and, when VL and HLH present together in patients, diagnosis of the disease may be difficult.2,3 Herein, we describe a case of HLH as a complication of VL.