Situation analysis of cutaneous leishmaniasis in an endemic area, south of Iran

Objective: To update current situation of the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Kazerun County, southwest of Iran and to analyze the epidemiological aspects of the disease during 2005-2015. Methods: Data on CL were obtained from the Health Center of Kazerun County, and then were analyzed and mapped using SPSS and ArcGIS 10.3. Results: A total of 700 cases of CL were recorded during the study period with an overall decreasing trend from 2005 to 2015. More than 60% of the patients were inhabitants of rural areas and males were infected more than females. Although there was not a significant difference between gender, job categories, residence and CL infection (P>0.05), age groups were significantly different (P<0.05). But there was no significant correlation between monthly cases of the disease with average temperature (P>0.05). Most of the acute lesions were found to be present on the hand, leg and face, respectively. The average CL incidence in the study area was calculated as 24.9/100 000 population. A hot spot for the disease was found in southern part of the area (P<0.05). Conclusions: This study revealed that CL is present in Kazerun country. Thus, effective monitoring and sustained suveillance system is crucial in counteracting the disease, and if possible, to eliminate it.