title: Clinico-Epidemiological Patterns of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Patients Attending the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka.
abstract: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused byLeishmania donovaniis an endemic vector-borne disease in Sri Lanka. Over 2,500 cases have been reported since 2000 and the number of CL cases has dramatically increased annually. Total 57 clinically suspected CL patients attending the dermatology clinic in Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital were recruited from January to June 2015. Slit skin smears and skin biopsies were taken from each of the subjects. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained using interviewer administered questionnaire. Forty-three (75.4%) patients among 57 were confirmed positive forL. donovani. The majority of infected patients was males (P=0.005), and the most affected age group was 21-40 years. Soldiers in security forces, farmers, and housewives were identified as high risk groups. The presence of scrub jungles around the residence or places of occupation (P=0.003), the presence of sandflies (P=0.021), and working outsides more than 6 hr per day (P=0.001) were significantly associated with CL. The number of lesions ranged from 1-3, and the majority (76%) of the patients had a single lesion. Upper and lower extremities were the prominent places of lesions, while the wet type of lesions were more prevalent in females (P=0.022). A nodular-ulcerative type lesion was common in both sexes. The presence of sandflies, scrub jungles, and outdoor activities contributed to spread ofLeishmaniaparasites in an endemic pattern. Implementation of vector control programs together with health education with regard to transmission and prevention of CL are necessary to control the spread of this infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka.|Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Lahiru Sandaruwan
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Galgamuwa
authors.affiliation: Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Buthsiri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sumanasena
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Lalani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yatawara
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Susiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wickramasinghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Devika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iddawela
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Leishmania donovani; Sri Lanka; clinico-epidemiological pattern; cutaneous leishmaniasis