Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an anthropozoonosis with worldwide distribution, and in Brazil it is caused by the protozoan Leishmania chagasi. The disease affects mainly the organs with mononuclear phagocyte system cells, such as spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, besides skin. As occurs in other protozoan diseases, the peripherical infection by L. chagasi also promotes central ner…