Research（MATUMOTO） | Science and Technology Research Partnerhip for Sustainable Development

（１）The pathogenesis of PKDL: One of the most important complications of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar (KA) is post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL), which usually occurs several months after completion of sodium stibogluconate (Sb) treatment in approximately 10 to 20 % of patients in Indian subcontinent. Studies to elucidate pathogenesis of PKDL are going to be conducted in Bangladesh, through epidemiological, immunological, pathological, and parasitological studies.
（２）Vector control: The integrated vector management is an important part for control of the vector-borne diseases such as leishmaniasis. To make guidelines and strategies for the sustainable vector control for leishmaniasis in Bangladesh, identification of vector species and its distribution in Bangladesh will be investigated.
（３）Reservoir investigation: In endemic foci of anthropozoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, dogs, foxes, jackals, wolves, and rodents have been recognized as the reservoirs, and the disease in humans is limited to areas where these reservoir animals inhabit. The visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. donovani s.s. in India, Nepal and Bangladesh has been considered to be anthroponotic, that is, transmission occurs mainly between human and sand fly vectors and does not need reservoir animals.
In Bangladesh, PKDL patients are thought as the only reservoir for visceral leishmaniasis. Therefore, the patients receive 3 courses of Sb treatment and a sometimes adverse effect of Sb is fatal. However, there are few evidences suggesting that PKDL patients with just macular lesion are important reservoir for visceral leishmaniasis. The determination of true reservoirs of leishmaniasis will be performed using immunological and parasitological analyses.