Pancytopenia
Type: Symptom
Definition
A reduction in the number of red and white blood cells, as well as platelets.
Clinical Details
As the Leishmania parasites heavily infiltrate the bone marrow, they displace normal hematopoietic stem cells and alter the marrow microenvironment. Furthermore, the massively enlarged spleen abnormally sequesters and destroys circulating blood cells. This leaves the patient highly vulnerable to secondary infections and bleeding diatheses.