title: [Investigation and analysis of an outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ksar Ouled Dabbab, Tataouine (Tunisia), 2012-2013].
abstract: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), due to Leishmania major, and chronic CL, due to L. tropica, are endemic in the governorate (administrative subdivision) of Tataouine (southeast Tunisia). This study aims to analyze epidemiologic, clinical, parasitologic, and entomologic data collected during the 2012-2013 epidemic in Ksar Ouled Dabbab (KOD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The KOD health care center diagnosed 164 CL cases from July 2012 to March 2013, identifying 21 Leishmania isolates and local sandflies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence rate of CL in KOD was around 27.5/1000 inhabitants. The age groups most strongly affected were children younger than 10 years (19.9%) and those aged 10-20 years (23.1%). The number of patients with multiple lesions (67.9%) and their location on limbs (71.3%) indicated ZCL. This hypothesis is supported by the high proportions of L. major (81%) and Phlebotomus papatasi found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidemiologic and clinical profiles of the cases and the predominance of L. major and P. papatasi confirm that the recent outbreak in KOD was related to ZCL. It probably followed recent environmental changes and transmission spread from adjacent neighboring foci.
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie, Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et d'écologie parasitaires, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoun
authors.affiliation: Direction régionale de la santé, Tataouine, Tunisie.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Halima
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Observatoire national des maladies nouvelles et émergentes.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ben Alaya
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ben Sghaier
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nadia
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanene
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Abid
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur d'Algérie.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Harrat
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et d'écologie parasitaires, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raouane
authors.affiliation: LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie, Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouratbine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Ksar Ouled Dabbab; Leishmania major; Tunisia; epidemic