Leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia: Current situation and future perspectives

Abass, Elfadil; Al-Hashem, Zainab; Yamani, Lamya Zohair

doi:10.12669/pjms.36.4.2121

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(23 reference statements)

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“…This result is similar to numerous studies conducted in various regions of Saudi Arabia and Iran. 4,20 In contrast, it is lower than what has been documented in Afghanistan, Bolivia, northwestern Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. 5,[21][22][23] The current survey's data show that CL affects all age-groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…3 According to Abass et al, Saudi Arabia has the fourth-highest prevalence of zoonotic CL following Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. 4 During the course of CL three patterns of lesions exist on the skin (ulcerative type, nodules and nodulo-ulcerative type). 5 CL is confined to six regions, including Najran, though it remains a major public health concern.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Associated Risk Factors and Prevention in Hubuna, Najran, Saudi Arabia

Alzahrani¹,

Elfaki²,

Abdalla³

et al. 2023

IJGM

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Background: Many countries are currently affected by leishmaniasis, and cutaneous leishmaniasis is ranked among the ten most neglected diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors related to cutaneous leishmaniasis and preventive measures among people living in Hubuna, Najran, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to October 2022. A convenience sampling technique was used, with 396 individuals invited to participate in the current study and 391 included. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized for collecting data. Descriptive analysis was used for risk factors and preventive measures, while χ 2 tests were used for determining associations with risk factors. Results: Among participants, 38.1% (n=149) reported having cutaneous leishmaniasis clinically diagnosed and under treatment. Age 0-10 years was found to be associated significantly with cutaneous leishmaniasis infection (AOR 3.08, 95% CI 1.6-6.4; P=0.002) compared to other groups. A significant association was noted too for those residing in/around planted areas versus those who were not (AOR 1.18, 95% CI 0.13-2.24; P<0.001). In terms of occupation, farming was significantly associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis (AOR 2.54, 95% CI 1.15-3.76; P=0.010). No significant associations were observed in regard to sex (AOR 1.4, 95% CI 0.7-1.6; P=0.11), education (P=0.072), or preventive measures used (P>0.05). Conclusion:The cutaneous leishmaniasis endemicity level in Hubuna was high. Several socioeconomic and environmental factors contribute enormously to the spread of the disease in the area. Further investigation of risk factors of cutaneous leishmaniasis all over the country and setting up appropriate interventions to prevent its spread are recommended.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Associated Risk Factors and Prevention in Hubuna, Najran, Saudi Arabia

Alzahrani¹,

Elfaki²,

Abdalla³

et al. 2023

IJGM

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“…Leishmaniasis is an important neglected tropical disease worldwide [ 19 , 20 ]. It imposes a significant burden on the country in terms of the financial costs associated with prevention and treatment and on infected individuals by causing remarkable psychosocial disturbances that may result from severe infections [ 11 , 19 , 20 ]. The first cases of CL in the Arabian Peninsula, in particular KSA, were officially reported in 1973, with 90 cases and an incidence rate of 100 cases per 100,000 population [ 15 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…L. major stands to be the predominant etiological species, especially in the central (Al-Qaseem, and Riyadh) and eastern (Al-Ahsa) regions of the country. On the other hand, L. tropica is relatively less common and is primarily found in the southeastern regions and foci in Al-Madina, Al-Qaseem, Aseer, Ta’if, and Al-Baha [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. L. major is primarily spread via the sandfly vector Phlebotomus (P.) papatasi , whereas L. tropica is transmitted by P. sergenti .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Where CL is endemic, the appearance of skin lesions in correlation with the history given by the patients is a key factor for establishing a diagnosis, relying heavily on a high level of clinical suspicion. However, skin biopsy and sterile tissue culture along with molecular testing with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are usually required to distinguish leishmaniasis from other dermatological diseases and confirm the diagnosis [ 7 , 8 , 11 , 17 ]. Although CL is a self-limiting disease, therapeutic interventions are usually required to accelerate the healing process and minimize the risk of transmission between vectors and reservoirs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Prevalence and Clinical Overview: A Single Center Study from Saudi Arabia, Eastern Region, Al-Ahsa

Al-Dhafiri,

Alhajri,

Alwayel

et al. 2023

TropicalMed

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Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne parasitic disease that is transmitted via the bites of infected female sandflies. CL has been endemic in several countries worldwide for many decades, and numerous cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, particularly across six regions; one of which is AL-Ahsa. Our research aimed to evaluate the epidemiological situation of CL among the patients in Al-Ahsa, Eastern region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the period from 2017 to 2023. The data were collected from the patients’ registries and included 245 patients who were diagnosed with CL in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Fewer than half of the cases (47.8%) were Saudi patients, with a significant number of them being males (84.5%). Over half of the cases (52.7%) were aged between 21 and 40 years, and about three-quarters (74.7%) of the cases resided in rural areas. Regarding the nature of the lesions, 38.4% of the cases had one lesion, which was mainly distributed on a lower extremity (62.0%) or an upper extremity (52.2%). A high percentage of the lesions (75.2%) were wet lesions and caused by L. major. Concerning risk factors, a greater number of patients (71.4%) had been in rural areas within the last three months. Additionally, more than half of the cases (54.3%) had close contact with rodents, followed by birds (28.2%), sheep (22.0%), dogs (16.3%), and other animals (1.2%). The results showed a low number of reported CL cases in 2020 and 2021, followed by a surge in 2022 and 2023. The study shows that cutaneous leishmaniasis is still a public health problem in Al-Ahsa and is primarily associated with rural areas.

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Epidemiological Mapping of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia: An Observational Descriptive Study

Alharbi,

Ahmed

2024

J Epidemiol Glob Health

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Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease that affects individuals worldwide. An epidemiological observational population–cohort study was conducted on the basis of comprehensive research on CL incidence in Saudi and non-Saudi residents. The Ministry of Health recorded the incidence of CL between January 2020 and December 2022. The chi-square test was used to analyze the data and determine CL incidence rates in age-specific incidence rates (ASIRs) and gender between Saudi and non-Saudi residents in Saudi Arabia. The study found that between 2020 and 2022, there were 2280 cases of CL in Saudi Arabia, with 1367 and 913 cases in men and women, respectively. Of Saudi nationals, 64.26% and 12.91% were male and female, respectively. The frequency of CL was higher (87.09%) among non-Saudi residents than among Saudi nationals, with a statistically significant difference ( P = 0.001) between the two groups. The ASIRs for CL were higher in patients aged 15–45 years. This study revealed variations in CL incidence rates among the 13 administrative regions; Qassim, followed by Aseer, Ha’il, and Madinah, had higher rates than the other regions. These findings indicate the need for targeted interventions and public health strategies to reduce the burden on CL, particularly among non-Saudi residents.

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Leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia: Current situation and future perspectives

Cited by 7 publications

References 27 publications

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Associated Risk Factors and Prevention in Hubuna, Najran, Saudi Arabia

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Associated Risk Factors and Prevention in Hubuna, Najran, Saudi Arabia

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Prevalence and Clinical Overview: A Single Center Study from Saudi Arabia, Eastern Region, Al-Ahsa

Epidemiological Mapping of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia: An Observational Descriptive Study

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