Gastric leishmaniasis in the setting of HIV/AIDS infection at Community Hospital in Southeastern United States

Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by the Leishmania donovani complex, is responsible for over 20 000 deaths per year. This disease often affects the immunocompromised with an increased prevalence in those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The immunocompromised are not only more susceptible to infection, but disseminated disease including gastric leishmaniasis. This is a case of gastric leishmaniasis occurring in a non-endemic region in a patient with comorbid HIV.

Case presentation: The patient is a 39 year old originally from Central America currently living in Southeast Georgia. His history is significant for HIV, alcohol abuse, tobacco dependency and bone marrow biopsy-proven leishmaniasis. He denied any recent travel. At initial presentation, he had abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, chills and dysphagia along with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Treatment with amphotericin B was initiated for his leishmaniasis as well as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The patient was discharged home on a 3 month course of amphotericin B with continued HAART therapy. Following resolution of his acute symptoms, six months later, the patient developed acute abdominal pain with nausea prompting presentation to the emergency department. Leishmaniasis was found again following bone marrow biopsy and the patient restarted amphotericin B and HAART. Several years later the patient presented again with similar symptoms, this time with accompanying rectal bleeding. The patient received an esophagogastroduodenoscopy and on gastric mucosal biopsy was found to have gastric leishmaniasis.

Conclusion: This manuscript highlights the key features of this case, including recognizing leishmaniasis clinically, proving diagnosis through definitive testing and understanding the connection between leishmaniasis and HIV.

Keywords: HIV/Leishmania co-infection; Leishmania; gastric leishmaniasis; leishmaniasis.