Clinical features and epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis and Leishmania major/HIV co-infection in Cameroon: results of a large cross-sectional study.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in Central Africa, including Cameroon. However, data on its prevalence and co-infection with HIV are scarce. Here we present the results of a large cross-sectional study reporting the prevalence, clinical features and species identification of CL and HIV co-infection in northern Cameroon. A total of 32 466 subjects were clinically screened for CL during a door-to-door survey, followed by parasitological diagnosis in the field laboratory. Amongst the subjects surveyed, 146 (0.4%) were diagnosed with active CL. Seven (4.8%) of these 146 CL patients tested positive for HIV-1 and/or HIV-2. The number of lesions per CL patient ranged from 1 to 20. Three of the five subjects with >10 active lesions were co-infected with HIV. In both CL and HIV co-infected subjects, three successful parasite isolates were identified as Leishmania major by PCR. This first report of L. major/HIV co-infection in Cameroon and Central Africa confirms the endemicity of CL in the region and highlights a worsened CL pathology in HIV co-infected individuals. These findings provide important data necessary for the development and implementation of successful control programmes against CL and HIV in this geographical area.
Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Omer Bébé
OB
Ngouateu
Pierre
P
Kollo
Christophe
C
Ravel
Jacques
J
Dereure
Pierre
P
Kamtchouing
Albert
A
Same-Ekobo
Esther
E
von Stebut
Marcus
M
Maurer
Blaise
B
Dondji
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011634:Public Health; D055815:Young Adult
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents