AIIMS team claims kala-azar breakthrough |
The clinical microbiology department of AIIMS has claimed to have isolated the parasite of kala-azar from goat blood. The finding assumes significance because of the belief that humans act as reservoir for kala-azar, also known as black fever, and it is spread through sandflies. The disease is responsible for hundreds of death in states like UP and Bihar. It causes unremitting fever and darkening of the skin. Dr Sarman Singh, professor and head, division of clinical microbiology and molecular medicine at AIIMS, said that a team of researchers successfully isolated the kala-azar parasite from goat blood after decades of research. "ore than 1,000 goats of Bihar and Jharkhand, where kala-azar is prevalent, were studied as part of this research. We collected their blood samples and put them through detailed testing. Two goat samples yielded live parasites, Singh said. He is of the view that after this research, the elimination programme for kala-azar will have to be relooked at, with special focus on animals. "We will need to screen animals infected with the disease, apart from treating people suffering, the AIIMS professor said. In European countries and Brazil, he added, the kala-azar parasite has been found in dogs. Approximately 5 lakh cases are reported worldwide, of which more than 23,000 cases are in India.
|
|
|
|