Recent trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Alert Hospital, Addis Ababa.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic to many parts of the world and has re-emerged in a number of endemic countries in recent years. Environmental changes, immune status of the host and treatment failure are the three most important risk factors associated with the re-emerging and spread of Leishmaniasis. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) ranges from localized, self-healing type to the disfiguring mucocutaneous and diffuse cutaneous type.


OBJECTIVE
To access the trend of CL patient flow in ALERT Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


METHODS
Patients' clinical and laboratory records were collected retrospectively for 1651 leishmaniasis suspected individuals from ALERT Hospital, from January 1, 2007 to December 30, 2010.


RESULTS
From the suspected individuals, 234 cases were positive for Leishmania species with Giemsa stain and/or histopathology and confirmed for CL, of whom 30 (12.8%) were diagnosed in 2007, 29 (12.4%) in 2008, 75 (32.1%) in 2009, and 100 (42.7%) were in 2010.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall proportion of cases with leishmaniasis among the suspected cases was 234/1651 (14.2%). The distribution of CL reports was higher for patients coming from Addis Ababa surrounding areas and Oromia region, 96/234 (41.03%) and 71/234 (30.34%), respectively. In general, the trend of leishmaniasis in and around Addis Ababa seems to be increasing, which calls for further detailed epidemiological studies, including vector and reservoir host studies, to help in the prevention and control of the disease.
Shiferaw
S
Bekele
Yonas
Y
Bekele
Fikerte
F
Mulatu
Tsehaynesh
T
Lemma
Hiwot
H
Tilahun
Endalamaw
E
Gadisa
Shimelis
S
Negussie
Lawrence
L
Yamuah
Liya
L
Wassie
Markos
M
Abebe
Mengistae
M
Hiletework
Mesfin
M
Hunegnaw
Rute
R
Leekassa
Elisabeth
E
Bizuneh
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D055819:Hospitals, Isolation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors