[Ecology of leishmaniasis in the south of France. 14. Leishmaniasis of man in the Cévennes: a clinical and biological analysis of visceral and mucosal forms (author's transl)].

In the Cévennes focus of visceral leishmaniasis, human cases are equally common in adults and children. A comparative bioclinical study was made of 32 cases of which 17 were children and 15 were adults. Diagnosis of 31 of these cases was made by the demonstration of parasites and one by serological methods. There was a bimodal distribution of ages among the cases 0-8 and 17-76 years). Studies were made in each of these groups of the onset of illness, clinical signs and the level and time of evolution of antibodies demonstrable by the IFAT. Statistical comparisons made with nonparametric tests showed that: 1) The onset of illness was later in adults (a mean of 4 months) than in children (a mean of 1 month). 2) The three main signs (splenomegaly, fever and cutaneous pallor) were predominantly in children (65%) rather than in adults (13%). 3) The level of antibodies was significantly lower in children (59%) less than or equal to 1/160), whereas the high levels (1/1280 and 1/2048) were seen most often in adults (58%).