title: A comprehensive review of cutaneous leishmaniasis in kerman province, southeastern iran-narrative review article.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) remains a serious public health concern in Kerman Province, eastern Iran. This study was aimed to conduct a comprehensive review and highlights various aspects of CL in the province of Kerman.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article mainly focuses on the studies published in the past 26 years on CL in the province. Current data for the present status were obtained through the provincial health system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bam was the most infected district (63.6%), followed by Kerman (24.7%) and other districts to a less extent. Leishmania tropica is the major causative agent (95.5%) of CL in Kerman province, however, L. major accounts for 4.5% of the total cases. Bam, Kerman and southern districts of Kerman province were purely anthroponotic CL (ACL), while Rafsanjan, Baft, and Sirjan showed both ACL and zoonotic CL (ZCL). In contrast, Orzoieh district was merely endemic to ZCL type. Phlebotomus sergenti was the main vector in ACL foci while Ph. papatasi was the major vector in the ZCL district of Orzoieh. Localized CL was the most prevalent form (80%) of the disease, while leishmaniasis recidivans was the most uncommon clinical manifestation (18.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to recent rises in CL disease both in regard of increases in incidence rate and expansion of the disease to new foci, and presence of various risk factors in the province, control measures and health strategies should have high priorities to help treat the existing cases and prevent the expansion of the disease to new areas.
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, 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: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fekri
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: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aghaei Afshar
authors.affiliation: Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Behnaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aflatoonian
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: Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dowlati
authors.affiliation: Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiatives (DNDi), 15 Chemin Louis-Dunant, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Farrokh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Modabber
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolhasan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nadim
keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Iran; Leishmania major; Leishmania tropica