title: A prospective cohort study of cutaneous leishmaniasis risk and opium addiction in south eastern Iran.
abstract: Opium addiction and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are endemic in different parts of Iran, particularly in Bam, where a massive earthquake occurred. This study was designed to compare the incidence rate and severity of CL cases among opium addicted and non-addicted individuals in south-eastern Iran. This study was carried out as a prospective cohort by active house-to-house visits of 1,481 habitants in Bam. CL cases were confirmed by smear and identification of Leishmania species was performed using nested-PCR. The data was analyzed by χ(2) and t-tests, using SPSS software and also Kaplan-Meier survival curve and long-rank test in Stata 11.2 and P<0.05 was considered as significant. A total of 904 individuals consisting of 226 opium addicted and 678 non-addicted individuals were followed-up for a period of seven years. The two cohorts were similar in terms of age, sex and place of residency. A similar pattern of incidence was observed among the two cohort groups. In contrast, the severity of CL in terms of the number, duration and the size of the lesions in opium addicted individuals was significantly (P<0.001) higher than non-opium addicted individuals. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that there is no relationship between the incidence of CL and opium addiction.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Aflatoonian
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hakimi Parizi
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fekri
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Behnaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aflatoonian
authors.affiliation: Kerman Oral and Dental Diseases Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khamesipour
authors.affiliation: Regional Knowledge Hub, and WHO Collaborating Centre for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran ; Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharifi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult