Black Fever or Kala Jwara is a chronic disease, which occurs along the shores of the Mediterranean, North Africa, Sudan, Assam in India, China and the tropical zone of South America. It is also known as "Visceral Leishmaniasis" or "Dum Dum Fever". The Assamese calls it "Black Disease". In the period between 1977 and 1990, more than 3 lakh cases of black-era have been reported in Bihar.

Black Fever is basically a chronic and potentially fatal parasitic disease of the viscera i.e. the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes. This happens due to infection by the parasite called Leishmania Donovani. It is the agent of Black Fever and is transmitted by Sandfly bites.

Causes of Black Fever
An organism that is transmitted by the bite of a Sandfly causes that Black Fever. The sand flies feed on animals and humans for blood, which is needed by them to develop their eggs. Black Fever also increases the risk of other secondary infections.

Symptoms of Black Fever
Black Fever can cause no or few symptoms but typically it is associated with fever, loss of appetite or anorexia, fatigue, enlargement of the liver, spleen and nodes and suppression of the bone marrow. The onset of Black Fever is acute or insidious. There is irregular fever, progressive anaemia in which the white blood cells are found to be diminished and marked enlargement of the spleen. The spleen of a Black Fever patient is sometimes found to weigh 4 to 5 kilograms. Many patients suffer from blue or black spots on their forehead, face, palms, or soles of the feet. A continuous distension of the stomach is also noticed.

Treatments of Black Fever
Black Fever, though a chronic fatal disease, can be easily avoided and diagnosed early if proper preventive measures are followed and attention is paid to the early signs. Nourishing food such as milk, milk products, eggs, fruits and vegetables should be given to the patient in keeping with his condition. Excessive physical exertion should be avoided. One must apply an insect repellent cream to will ensure protection form mosquitoes and sand-flies. The left-over food items must be covered to ensure that insects, flies and mosquitoes do not sit on it.