Visceral leishmaniasis, a fatal disease if not treated, is caused by Leishmania parasites. This disease might be overlooked in the Middle East because of limited awareness and low incidence. We report 5 patients who died of visceral leishmaniasis in Lebanon and make recommendations to improve faster diagnosis and treatment.
Keywords: Lebanon; Leishmania infantum; Middle East; cutaneous leishmaniasis; parasites; visceral leishmaniasis; zoonoses.