title: A Comparison of Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Syrian and Turkish Patients with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
abstract: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a significant public health problem with increasing incidence, especially in extreme circumstances. In this study, we compared the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 685 Syrian CL patients afflicted by the Syrian conflict and 685 Turkish CL patients in 2012. Patient age, gender, duration of disease, lesion size, type, and localization were evaluated. The duration of CL disease in Syrian CL patients (4.5 ± 4.3 weeks) was shorter than that of Turkish CL patients (11.9 ± 9.7 weeks). The number of lesions was greater in Syrian patients (2.46 ± 2.43) than in Turkish patients (1.93 ± 1.47). Lesion sizes were comparable between both groups (Syrian, 11.2 ± 8.7 mm; Turkish, 10.7 ± 7.7 mm). In Syrian CL patients, nodular type lesions were the most common (325 patients, 49.1%), whereas, in Turkish CL patients, ulcer type lesions were the most common (352 patients, 51.5%). Our results indicate variations in the clinicoepidemiological features of CL between Turkish and Syrian patients within Sanliurfa province. This highlights the impact of social unrest and environmental conditions on the epidemiology of CL within this region. Approaches to prevention, control, and treatment of CL in these areas should take into consideration the emerging changes in clinicoepidemiological parameters of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio yavuzyesilova@gmail.com abhay.satoskar@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yeşilova
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Hacer Altun
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sürücü
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Nurittin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ardic
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Nebiye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doni
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yesilova
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oghumu
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varikuti
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Microbiology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Dermatology, Special Middle East Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkey; Department of Biostatistics, YuzuncuYıl University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey; Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio yavuzyesilova@gmail.com abhay.satoskar@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Abhay R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Satoskar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology