American Visceral Leishmaniasis in Colombia

The first case of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) known in Colombia was described by Gast Galvis to the National Academy of Medicine in 1944, and consisted of a finding in viscerotomy material from the Department of Santander. Later (1968) three cases of the disease were reported in the same Department (Gómez Vargas), and three more in the Departments of Santander and Cundinamarca (Castillo et al.). Epidemiological studies in 1971 at Melgar and Coyaima, Department of Tolima (Corredor, Osorno, and Parra) revealed the following: * The phlebotomines were represented chiefly by Lutzomyia longipalpis (mosquito) as in the foci studied by other workers in the Departments of Cundinamarca, Huila, and Tolima; and secondarily by L. trinidadensis, L. rangeliana, L. gomezi, and L. cayennensis. * L. longipalpis was always found in the hollows of rocks, in shelters adjacent to dwellings, and was not seen at altitudes above 900 m.