KYRİAKOS TRİGKİDİS, ELENİ GELADARİ, EVANGELOS KOKKİNAKİS, NATALİA VALLİANOU
European Journal of Rheumatology - 2017;4(2):139-141
There is growing concern regarding the emergence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a disseminated parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, as an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. This association has been principally studied in the context of human immunodeficiency virus infection, but VL has also been reported in patients undergoing treatment with immunosuppressive medication for various indications. Here a case of VL in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing treatment with methotrexate and corticosteroid is presented. Despite the rarity of such incidents, physicians should include VL in the differential diagnosis because this infection, if left untreated, is characterized by significant mortality.
