title: [Risk factors of leishmanin-skin test positivity in transmission of Leishmania infantum in the center of Tunisia].
abstract: This work aims to estimate prevalence and evaluate risk factors of leishmanin-skin test positivity. A cross-sectional leishmanin skin test study was carried out on a sample of 3190 healthy volunteers living in the gouvernorates of Kairouan and Kasserine. Age standardized prevalence of leishmanin-skin test positivity was 45.9% (CI95% = [43.9-47.9]) confirming the hyper endemicity of this region. The rate of leishmanin-skin test positivity ranged from 75.9% (CI95% = [71.9-79.5]) in Zaghdoud (Kairouan) to 6.5% (CI95% = [3.7-11.01) in Abdeladhim (Kasserine). There is no significant difference between men and women suggesting a similar exposure to infection. In the districts of Zaghdoud, Sidi Amor, El Hajeb and chbika, age specific rates showed a rapid increasing positive prevalence with age reaching a proportion exceeding 80% after the age of 15 years. However, the age specific prevalence from other delegations showed a progressive increasing trend with age, with a low rate for younger children and a plateau of 75% after 45 years. Multivariate analysis of leishmanin-skin test positivity risk factors showed that only district and age are determinants of this infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13 Place Pasteur-BP 74, 1002 Tunis Belvédère, Tunisie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ben Alaya Bouafif
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chlif
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gharbi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bel Haj Hamida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaatour
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dellagi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000276:immunology*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C032127:leishmanin