title: Rural campaign to diagnose and treat mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Bolivia.
abstract: Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) is endemic in the tropical Amazonian lowlands of Bolivia, an area that regularly receives influxes of migratory populations. In these new agricultural development areas, a campaign to diagnose and treat the disease was carried out between 1989 and 1992, in order to provide direct access to MCL treatment in the endemic areas at a standard equivalent to that offered in the urban centres in Bolivia. The campaign led to the creation of decentralized local centres for diagnosis and treatment of the disease. A campaign to inform the population about leishmaniasis was also undertaken and courses were run to educate medical and paramedical personnel. As a result of the campaign, 3285 cases of leishmaniasis were diagnosed, including 2152 cutaneous and 326 mucosal forms. Also, a total of 1888 cases were treated, 1677 of which cutaneous and 211, mucosal.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Boliviano de Biologia de Altura, La Paz.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dedet
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Melogno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardenas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valda
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Torrez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dimier-David
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lyevre
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Villareal
mesh_terms: D001838:Bolivia; D006801:Humans; D007897:Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012423:Rural Health