Kala-azar Disease

Why in News?

• Kala-azar cases in India declined by 98.7% between 2007 and 2022, from 44,533 to 834 and 632 endemic blocks (99.8%) spread across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal have recently  received elimination status (less than one case per 10,000).

Highlights

• The only block that is still in the endemic category is Littipara in the Pakur district of Jharkhand (1.23 cases per 10,000 population)
• It Is also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis or Black Fever or Dumdum Fever.
• There are three types of Leishmaniasis:

• Visceral Leishmaniasis, which affects multiple organs and is the most serious form of the disease.
• Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores and is the most common form.
• Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis, which causes skin and mucosal lesions.

• It is a deadly parasitic disease caused by the protozoa parasite Leishmania and mainly affects the people living in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
• The disease can cause death, if left untreated.
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Kala-azar is the second deadliest parasitic disease in the world, and as of November, 2022, about 89% of global cases are reported from eight countries: Brazil, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
• India contributes about 11.5% of total cases of Kala-azar reported globally.
• Over 90% of kala-azar cases in India are reported from Bihar and Jharkhand, while Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have achieved their elimination targets at the block level
• It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female phlebotomine sandfly
• Prevention of kala-azar involves measures to reduce the breeding sites of sandflies and to protect people from sandfly bites.
• This can be achieved through the use of insecticides, bed nets, and repellents, as well as the improvement of housing conditions and access to clean water and sanitation.
• The WHO also recommends Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in areas where the disease is endemic.