Observations on human bone-marrow for Leishmania donovani

During the recent epidemic in North Bihar, a total of 65 cases which were clinically designated as Kala-azar had been subjected to bone-marrow aspiration from the iliac crest, out of which the L.D. body was demonstrated in 55 cases (84.61 per cent). Culture analysis of bone-marrow on modified Tobie's medium, revealed that ten cases (15.39 per cent) which were negative for L.D. body did not show any leptomonads, whereas out of 55 L.D. body positive cases, the promastigote forms developed in 22 cases (40.00 per cent). The probable reasons for the negative findings and also the age and sex distribution in Kala-azar are discussed in brief.