Epidemiology and diagnostics of visceral leishmaniasis in Serbia

A retrospective epidemiological and diagnostic study of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was carried out during the period 2001–2007 and included patients suspected of VL who had been diagnosed at the Parasitological Laboratory at the Institute for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Belgrade. Diagnosis of VL was confirmed by microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained bone marrow (BM) smears. BM smears from 134 patients were examined; 22 cases of VL were diagnosed, the majority of which involved individuals who had been on holiday at the Montenegrian sea coast. The sensitivity of the initial BM smears was inadequate; this required the application of a serological test, adapted for routine use, for the diagnosis of VL.