Cutaneous leishmaniasis in suspected patients referred to the center for research and training in skin diseases and leprosy, tehran, iran from 2008 to 2011.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a major health problem in many parts of Iran, although diagnosis of CL especially in the endemic area is easy, but treatment and management of the disease is a global dilemma. Diagnosis of CL in non-endemic area is not as simple as in endemic foci. In this study, the status and the proportions of CL induced by Leishmania major and L. tropica among CL suspected patients referred to the Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, (CRTSDL) during 2008 to 2011 are described.


METHODS
CL patients with suspected lesions were clinically examined. History of trip to zoonotic CL and/or anthroponotic CL endemic areas and the characteristics of their lesion(s) were recorded. Diagnosis of the lesion was done using direct smear microscopy, culture and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR).


RESULTS
A total of 404 (M = 256, F = 148) patients with 776 lesions were recruited and parasitologically examined. The results showed that 255 of the patients with 613 lesions; patients with lesion(s) induced by L. major=147 (M = 63, 43%, F = 84, 57%) and lesion(s) induced by L. tropica=108 (M = 35, 32%, F = 73, 68%). History of travel to endemic area was not always correlated with isolated Leishmania species.


CONCLUSIONS
Although travel history to endemic area is an important factor to be considered for diagnosis, but parasitological confirmation is necessary initiation of treatment.
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Akram Mir Amin
AM
Mohammadi
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ali
A
Khamesipour
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza
A
Khatami
Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Qazvin University, Qazvin, Iran.
Amir
A
Javadi
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mansour
M
Nassiri-Kashani
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza
A
Firooz
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Yahya
Y
Dowlati
Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Massoud
M
Behnia
Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyyed Ebrahim
SE
Eskandari
Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Diagnosis; Leishmania species; PCR