Epidemiological and clinical study of leishmaniasis in Kirkuk city, Iraq

Abstract

leishmaniasis is a disease of global concern, Leishmania types and distribution rates vary from country to another. For visceral leishmaniasis serum samples were examined by the kala-azar dipstick rapid test. Meanwhile smears were taken from lesions, air dried, fixed and Leishman stained then microscopically examined for amstigote stage in cutaneous leishmaniasis. From April 2014 to April 2015, 150 samples for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and 108 serum sample for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) from in and out patients in Pediatric, Azadi Teaching and Kirkuk General Hospitals were examined. The incidence of visceral leishmaniasis was very low (2.7%) comparing to that in cutaneous leishmaniasis (64.6%). No significant differences had appeared between the cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence in male or female. The most age group infected with cutaneous leishmaniasis in both genders was 5 ≤ years old, with rate of 26.1% in male and a rate of 15.8% in female. Significantly high frequency of the patients were presented with only one or two lesions with rate of 39.17, 25.7 % for each type of lesions respectively. The most location that infected with CL was hand (27.7%) and high rate of them being moist type (71.13%). In Kirkuk city CL is more prevalent than VL. High rate of CL is moist type locating in the limbs and face. The infection is more frequent in children than in adult. For CL a smear taken from the lesion is much worthy than a lesion blood sample or re aspirated saline injected to the lesion.

Evaluation of the Surveillance and Epidemiological Aspects of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Babylon Province, Iraq

“…The authors attributed this result to the weakness of children's immune system as compared to that of the adults, or the exposure to low doses of the parasite transmitted by sandflies. Furthermore, the results of the present study agree with those of another study [22], which found that the overall incidence of CL is greater among people who are 5-14 years old. This age is the school and work age in Iraq for both genders, who are more likely to participate in outdoor activities and be exposed to sandfly-associated environmental conditions.…”