Demographic characteristics and clinical features of patients presenting with different forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis, in Lay Gayint, Northern Ethiopia.

• Published in: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Endalew Yizengaw, Bizuayehu Gashaw, Mulat Yimer, Yegnasew Takele, Endalkachew Nibret, Gizachew Yismaw, Edward Cruz Cervera, Kefale Ejigu, Dessalegn Tamiru, Abaineh Munshea, Ingrid Müller, Richard Weller, James A Cotton, Lloyd A C Chapman, Pascale Kropf
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012409; https://doaj.org/article/dcf09d8832104d2881c97c5c859cba09

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites, that can cause long-term chronic disabilities. The clinical presentation of CL varies in both type and severity. CL presents as three main clinical forms: localised lesions (localised cutaneous leishmaniasis, LCL); mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) that affects the mucosa of the nose or the mouth; or as disseminated not ulcerating nodules (diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis, DCL). Here we recruited a cohort of CL patients in a newly established leishmaniasis treatment centre (LTC) in Lay Gayint, Northwest Ethiopia, and collected detailed demographic and clinical data. The results of our study show that more males than females present to the LTC to seek diagnosis and treatment. 70.2% of CL patients presented with LCL and 20.8% with MCL. A small number of patients presented with DCL, recidivans CL (a rare form of CL where new lesions appear on the edges of CL scars) or with a combination of different clinical presentations. The duration of illness varied from 1 month to 180 months. Over a third of CL patients had additional suspected CL cases in their household. Despite the majority of CL patients having heard about CL, only a minority knew about its transmission or that it could be treated. Most CL patients lived in areas where environmental factors known to be associated with the transmission of CL were present. This work highlights that CL is an important public health problem in Lay Gayint and emphasises the urgent need for more CL awareness campaigns, better health education and better disease management practices.