Cutaneous and Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania Infantum in Endemic Areas of Visceral Leishmaniasis, Northwestern Iran 2002-2011: a Case Series

Overview

Journal Pathog Glob Health

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Microbiology
Public Health

Date 2013 Jul 3

PMID 23816511

Citations 28

Authors

Alireza Badirzadeh

Mehdi Mohebali

Mehrdad Ghasemian

Hassan Amini

Zabiholah Zarei

Behnaz Akhoundi

Homa Hajjaran

Dariush Emdadi

Soheila Molaei

Ahmad Kusha

Saber Alizadeh

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in Northwest and southern Iran. Reports of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Northwest areas are rare, and its etiological agents are unknown. In the current study, we report six CL and two post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) cases caused by Leishmania infantum from endemic areas of VL in the Northwest. Smears were made from skin lesions of 30 suspected patients in 2002-2011, and CL was determined by microscopy or culture. Leishmania spp. were identified by nested-PCR assay. The disease was confirmed in 20 out of 30 (66%) suspected patients by parasitological examinations. L. infantum was identified in eight and Leishmania major in 12 CL cases by nested-PCR. Cutaneous leishmaniasis patients infected with L. major had the history of travel to CL endemic areas. L. infantum antibodies were detected by direct agglutination test (DAT) at titers of 1:3200 in two cases with history of VL. Results of this study indicated that L. infantum is a causative agent of CL as well as PKDL in the VL endemic areas.

Citing Articles

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