Kolkata, October 5: A 47-year-old man died of Kala-azar infection also known as black fever in West Bengal’s Kolkata on Wednesday, October 4. The man from Bihar breathed his last at a city hospital. The man has been identified as Avadesh Paswan who fell during a visit to his in-laws' place in Howrah's Bally. This development comes after the state reported 57 cases of kala-azar last year with zero deaths

TOI reported that Paswan had been complaining of recurrent fever and was admitted to a hospital in Howrah after the fever refused to subside. However, he was shifted to Kolkata next day after his condition deteriorated. He breathed his last at the School of Tropical Medicine within 24 hours of admission in the hospital's ICU. 'Mystery' Illness in Madhya Pradesh: Four People Dead, Six in Hospital Due to 'Mysterious Viral Infection' in Satna's Tikuria Village; Probe Launched to Identify Cause of Disease.

What is Kala-Azar?

Kala-azar or black fever is a slow advancing and naturally occurring disease that is caused by a protozoan parasite of Leishmania genus. In India, the only parasite that causes this disease is Leishmania donovani. It is also known as visceral leishmaniasis or Dum-Dum fever. World Rabies Day 2023: IIT Guwahati Spreads Awareness on Viral Zoonotic Disease.

The Infections range from asymptomatic to progressive symptomatic. In Kala Azar, the incubation period is usually 2-4 months. The patient becomes fatal after 6 months to 2 years if not treated properly.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), kala-azar is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia. Most cases of kala-azar occur in Brazil, East Africa and in India.

While the disease was practically eradicated from West Bengal, there has been some cases in the state since last year. Officials, however, said that the disease was most prevalent in people who have spent a considerable amount of time in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 05, 2023 09:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).