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Infectious Diseases Congress 2019 Journal of Bacteriology and Infectious Diseases | Volume 3
Page 13
June 12-13, 2019 | Bangkok, Thailand
BACTERIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
2nd Global Congress on
OF EXCELLENCE
IN INTERNATIONAL
MEETINGS
YEARS
KALA-AZAR ELIMINATION PROGRAMME
IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGION
Visceral Leishmaniasis or Kala-azar is characterized by fever (>14 days),
anaemia, loss of body weight and most importantly splenomegaly. The
disease is endemic in many parts of the world. In the South-East Asia region,
the disease is prevalent in localized pockets of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and
few indigenous cases in Bhutan. Kala-azar is a disease of poverty, causes stig-
matization, retards economic growth and enhances malnutrition. The dis-
ease if not treated the patient dies in about two years due to undercurrent
infection. Tuberculosis and worm infestations are common in kala-azar infec-
tion. At one time Sodium Stibogluconate was the sheet anchor of treatment
of kala-azar (last 60-70 years). Over the years, the parasite called Leishmania
donovani became resistant to the drug. Escalation of dosage was associated
with cardiotoxicity and death. In the recent past, an international collabora-
tion in India facilitated development of several safe and effective drugs. The
most suitable drug was miltefosine, the first ever oral drug developed for
kala-azar. This was followed by paromomycin, an injectable aminoglycoside.
Amphotericin B and then lipid amphotericin were developed. Lipid ampho-
tericin B is the safest and most effective drug for the treatment of kala-azar.
A phase IV community trial showed that miltefosine may be used in the out-
patient’s treatment of kala-azar. rK39, a rapid diagnostic test, was developed
and vector control methods were in place. As the disease is localized and
Phlebotomus argentepis was the only vector and man is the only reservoir, it
was considered possible to eliminate the disease from the region. Currently,
the incidence of kala-azar in all the three countries have come down drasti-
cally and approaching elimination target (less than 1 case per 10000 popu-
lations in endemic areas). This programme is viewed as “Poverty alleviation
programme”.
Sujit K Bhattacharya, J Bacteriol Infec Dis 2019, Volume 3
Sujit K Bhattacharya graduated from Calcutta
University in 1959 and completed his internship
and House-man ship from Nilratan Sircar Medical
College Hospital, Kolkata, India. After graduation,
he joined the National Institute of Cholera and
Enteric Diseases, Kolkata of the Indian Council
of Medical Research (ICMR) and became Director
in 1994. He is a Fellow of the prestigious acad-
emies in India (FNA, FNASc, FAMS and FIPHA).
He has worked at WHO, about a little less than
three years and was looking after the elimination
of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Indian Subconti-
nent. His areas of interest are NTDs, particularly
Kala-azar, HIV/AIDS and Diarrhoeal diseases. He
has published more than 450 papers. Some of
his publications appeared in NEJM, The Lancet
Infectious Diseases, Journal of Infectious Diseases,
Journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemothera-
py and many other prestigious journals. He was
temporary advisers in a number of WHO meet-
ings. He attended a large number of internation-
al conferences. He was associated with develop-
ment of anti-kala-azar drugs like miltefosine and
paromomycin.
Sujit K Bhattacharya
Glocal Hospital, India
BIOGRAPHY