Leishmania parasites reproduce wherever there are cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system, almost in macrophages. These are most copious in the liver and spleen;therefore, infection leads to an expansion of both of them. This study determined the burden of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) infection on liver and spleen. A total of 20 mice were infected peritoneally with 2x107promastigotes of Leishmania donovani / ml and other 12 mice left without infection as a healthy control. The weight of whole body, liver and spleen were measured and the histological development using hematoxylin and eosin stains were determined after 15, 30, 45-and 60-days post infection. The results represent that the mean weights of liver and spleen were increased in infected mice especially after 45-and 60-days post infection against significant decrease in the animals' body weight. Histopathological changes displayed in liver by clear congestion and dilations in central veins, manifestation of multiple areas of granulomas and parenchymal necrosis, while, spleen sections revealed disorganization in white pulp, aggregation of numerous plasma cells and proliferation of megakaryocytes.
University of Baghdad
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