K Aoun1, G Halima2, T Ahmed3, N Ben Alaya4, I Ben Sghaier3, B Nadia3, C Hanene3, M Ben Abid3, Z Harrat5, M Raouane6, A Bouratbine7. 1. LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie, Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et d'écologie parasitaires, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisie. 2. Direction régionale de la santé, Tataouine, Tunisie. 3. LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie. 4. Observatoire national des maladies nouvelles et émergentes. 5. Institut Pasteur d'Algérie. 6. Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et d'écologie parasitaires, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisie. 7. LR 11-IPT-06 Parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Tunisie, Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisie.
Abstract
UNLABELLED: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.
UNLABELLED: 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. CONCLUSION: 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: Melek Chaouch; Karim Aoun; Souad Ben Othman; Meriem Ben Abid; Ines Ben Sghaier; Aida Bouratbine; Souha Ben Abderrazak Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2019-07 Impact factor: 2.345