visceral leishmaniasis
noun
plural visceral leishmaniases
: a severe form of leishmaniasis that is marked by fever, weight loss, progressive anemia, leukopenia, and enlargement of the spleen and liver, is caused by a parasitic protozoan (as Leishmania donovani) which proliferates in macrophages of the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and is typically fatal if untreated
The disease's deadly form, visceral leishmaniasis, caused when the parasite takes up residence in the liver, spleen and bone marrow, kills about 40,000 people a year worldwide.—
Rachel Nuwer
Rachel Nuwercalled also kala-azar
compare cutaneous leishmaniasisExamples of visceral leishmaniasis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bangladesh made history in 2023 as the first country anywhere to eliminate kala-azar, otherwise known as visceral leishmaniasis, a disease transmitted by sand flies that is 95% fatal when left untreated.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 2 May 2024
Leishmania infantum causes a more severe form of the disease called visceral leishmaniasis.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2023
The news comes amid concern that a more severe form of the disease, called visceral leishmaniasis, could also gain a foothold in the U.S.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 19 Oct. 2023
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Charlie Campbell, TIME, 2 May 2024
Leishmania infantum causes a more severe form of the disease called visceral leishmaniasis.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2023
The news comes amid concern that a more severe form of the disease, called visceral leishmaniasis, could also gain a foothold in the U.S.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 19 Oct. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Visceral leishmaniasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visceral%20leishmaniasis. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
visceral leishmaniasis
noun
: a severe form of leishmaniasis that is marked by fever, weight loss, progressive anemia, leukopenia, and enlargement of the spleen and liver, is caused by a parasitic protozoan of the genus Leishmania (as L. donovani) which proliferates in macrophages of the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and is typically fatal if untreated
Visceral leishmaniasis is responsible for overwhelming fatal epidemics …—Michael A. Miles, Science
Michael A. Miles, ScienceIn visceral leishmaniasis, in contrast to cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, the cutaneous entry of the parasite infrequently elicits a skin lesion.—David J. Wyler and Anthony R. Mattia, The New England Journal of Medicine
David J. Wyler and Anthony R. Mattia, The New England Journal of Medicinecalled also kala-azar
compare cutaneous leishmaniasisLove words? Need even more definitions?
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