MSF Activity Report 2010

Along with Chagas disease and sleeping sickness, kala azar is one of the most dangerous neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) – after malaria – it is the second largest parasitic killer in the world. Kala azar is endemic in 47 countries with approximately 200 million people at risk of infection. The parasite is spread to humans by bites from infected female sand flies.  It attacks the immune system, and is almost always fatal if not treated.  There are around half a million new cases a year, about 90 percent of which are in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan and Brazil.  Since 1988, with the help of our supporters we have treated over 100,000 people with the disease.