title: Head and neck cutaneous leishmania: clinical characteristics, microscopic features and molecular analysis in a cohort of 168 cases.
abstract: Lebanon, an underendemic area for cutaneous leishmania (CL), is suffering from a CL outbreak brought by the massive population influx from endemic Syria. CL affects mainly exposed areas; therefore, the head and neck (HN) region is highly susceptible. Individuals diagnosed and speciated with CL (n = 168) using molecular and microscopic analysis on punch biopsy/scrapings were studied. Clinical data, parasitic index (PI) and Ridley's Pattern (RP) were recorded. The HN was divided into 11 anatomic locations. Of 168 patients, 96 patients (57.1 %) had HN involvement and 72 (42.9 %) had no HN involvement. Lesions from the HN were significantly more common in younger patients and were more prone for ulceration, had larger size, higher PI and more advanced RP (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the anatomic distribution of lesions among age groups and genders in the HN group. The cheek area was the most HN involved location. Lesions were less commonly encountered in the veiled area in women. In the community we studied, HN is commonly involved by CL. Lesions with HN involvement were encountered more in pediatric age group and showed more extensive features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 6th Floor, Room # C W627 Cairo Street, Hamra, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dunya
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 6th Floor, Room # C W627 Cairo Street, Hamra, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon. rm17@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Roger V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Moukarbel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 3rd Floor, Room # C 340Cairo Street, Hamra, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon. ik08@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khalifeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059208:Parasite Load; D012036:Refugees; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013593:Syria / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Cutaneous; Epidemic; Head and neck; Leishmania