Cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Jordanian side of the Jordan Valley: severe under-reporting and consequences on public health management.
OBJECTIVE
To test if cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is under-reported in the Jordanian Mid Jordan Valley, with resultant serious consequences for drug supply.


METHODS
For 2001-2003, prescribed amounts of drug and laboratory log-books were investigated to estimate CL cases reported in Jordanian Mid Jordan Valley. From April 2004 to May 2005, passive detection and focused active 'index case cluster'-directed detection were used.


RESULTS
An average of 75/100,000 cases per year was estimated to have occurred 2001-2003, resulting in under-reporting by a factor of 47. In 2004/2005, 313/100,000 cases per year were passively detected. Active case-finding detected additional cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is severely under-reported in Jordanian Mid Jordan Valley, which impacts its eradication.
Mosleh
Ibrahim M
IM
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. i.mosleh@ju.edu.jo
Geith
Eid
E
Natsheh
Lina
L
Abdul-Dayem
Muna
M
Abotteen
Nabil
N
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000600:supply & distribution; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000592:standards*
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents