Control of visceral leishmaniasis in East Africa: fragile progress, new threats
Elin Hoffmann Dahl, Hamdan Mustafa Hamdan, Lexson Mabrouk, Sultani Matendechero, Tesfahun Bishaw Mengistie, Mousab Siddig Elhag, Mounir Lado, Cherinet Adera, Atia Abdalla Atia, Julien Potet, Margriet den Boer, Koert Ritmeijer, Jorge Alvar, Fabiana Alves, Gabriel Alcoba
Abstract
### Summary box Significant progress has been made in reducing the global burden of visceral leishmaniasis (also known as ‘kala azar’), a vectorborne disease that is 100% fatal if left untreated, but new threats are on the horizon. So far, the success has been particularly striking in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, where reported cases have declined from more than 77 000 in 1992 to under 3200 in 2019.1 2 In contrast, in East Africa, existing diagnostics and treatments are not as effective and progress has been more fragile. Around 11 000 cases were reported …