Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Yemen: clinicoepidemiologic features and a preliminary report on species identification.
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinicoepidemiologic profile of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Yemen (Hajjah and adjacent regions) and to identify the Leishmania species responsible.


METHODS
All 136 cases [96 (70.6%) males and 40 (29.4%) females] were subjected to detailed analysis. The diagnosis was based on positive slit skin smear and histopathologic studies when needed. In four cases, in vitro culture and Leishmania characterization by isoenzyme electrophoresis of 15 isoenzymes were attempted.


RESULTS
Most of the patients (107; 78.7%) were residents of the Hajjah Governorate. The majority of the patients had a single noduloulcerative lesion on the face. Slit skin smear was positive for parasites in 128 (94%) cases (highly positive in 63 cases) and four Leishmania isolates were obtained. The isoenzyme characterization results revealed L. tropica to be the species responsible, and zymodeme analysis showed that one strain belonged to zymodeme MON137, and three strains belonged to two previously undescribed zymodemes similar to zymodeme MON71.


CONCLUSIONS
CL seems to be endemic in this region. L. tropica was identified as the species responsible in four strains.
Khatri
Mishri Lal
ML
Department of Dermatology, Saudi Hospital at Hajjah, Yemen Republic. mishrik1@yahoo.co.in
Haider
Nasser
N
Di Muccio
Trentina
T
Gramiccia
Marina
M
D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007891:Leishmania / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015006:Yemen / Q000453:epidemiology