Indian Scientists Find Reason Behind Spread of Parasite Causing Black Fever in Human Body

According to various estimates, more than 50,000 deaths and half a million new cases of kala azar, also known as black fever, are registered annually. The majority of cases are detected in the Indian subcontinent and tropical nations.

Indian researchers have unearthed how the Leishmania parasite, which causes black fever, spreads faster in the human body.

Dr. Shailja Singh and Anand Ranganathan along with their team at the Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University found that the Leishmania parasite hijacks SUMOylation, a key regulator of various cellular, nuclear, metabolic, and immunological processes, to spread in the body.

"Leishmaniasis infects humans and replicates intracellular within macrophages, the cells that normally engaged in protecting the host from pathogens," the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, revealed.

The disease, which causes some 50,000 deaths annually, is spread by sandfly bites, which carry Leishmania donovani, a parasite, in their hair.

Researchers observed that a better understanding of the interactions between host and parasite is essential to combat the disease with an effective drug.

"This discovery will open avenues for the development of novel drugs with a targeted approach for the control of this neglected disease," Dr. Shailja Singh said in a statement.

Kala azar is fatal if left untreated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anemia.