Visceral leishmaniasis (VL): spleen

This image shows a low power view of a section of spleen. The lymphoid follicles of the white pulp are atrophied and the intervening red pulp is greatly expanded. H&E stain. This condition is caused by an accumulation of parasitized macrophages in the veins and sinuses of the red pulp, which blocks the blood vessels and causes tissue necrosis and sequestration of red blood cells. The expansion of the red pulp consequently depletes the white pulp.