A new strategy for elimination of kala-azar from rural Bihar

Background & objectives: Bihar State of India has been an endemic State for kala-azar. There has been many phases of DDT sprays for vector control. An outbreak of kala-azar occurred in Goanpura, 6 km from Patna, Bihar, in 2003. We undertook this study with a new approach of kala-azar elimination in this village with priority to treatment of cases followed by supplementation with supervised DDT spray for vector control. Methods: This study included a camp approach to collect patients at in the camp, screening of patients with rK-39, transporting the patients to the hospital of Balaji Utthan Sansthan, Patna, Bihar, confirming the diagnosis by demonstration of Leishman-Donovan (LD) bodies in splenic aspirates after proper clinical. and pathological investigations, and treatment with amphotericin B (Fungizone (R)) at a dose of 1mg/kg body wt for 20 days. If parasites persisted after 20 days, five more infusions were given. The State Government was persuaded to do supervised DDT spray as per the guidelines. All patients were followed up for 6 months for any relapse, and the village of Goanpura for 3 years for occurrence of any new case. Results: A camp was held in that village on September 11, 2003 after due publicity. A total of 368 patients having different ailments, attended the camp; 25 patients were screened with rk-39 for kala-azar and 21 patients gave positive results. All 21 patients were shifted to Balaji Utthan Sansthan for treatment. After thorough clinical examination and pathological tests splenic aspiration was done. All 21 patients were positive for LD bodies. One patient died and the remaining 20 completed full course of treatment and were cured. No patients relapsed within six months of follow up. Two rounds of supervised DDT spray were done. No new case occurred in the village during three years of follow up. No sandfly was detected in the village during the years of follow up. Interpretation & conclusions: Camp strategy to collect patients at one place, screening of patients with rk-39, transporting rk-39 positive patients to the hospital, treatment with an effective drug amphotericin B with no incidence of unresponsiveness and relapsed minimized transmission of the disease; only two rounds of supervised intensive spray of DDT eliminated sandflies from the village. This new cost effective approach in which treatment of patients was done with an effective drug followed by supervised DDT spray may be adopted for elimination of kala-azar from Bihar.