PREVALENCE OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS AMONG SUSPECTED PATIENTS IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN
Main Article Content
Keywords
Cutaneous leishmaniasis, Microcopy, Prevalence, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis, a protozoal disease caused by Leishmania, is endemic in developing countries, including Pakistan. The objective of the present study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Exudates of skin lesions were collected from suspected cutaneous leishmaniasis patients from January 2013 to December 2019. All samples were checked for the presence of leishmania using Giemsa-stained microcopy. Out of a total 3917 exudate samples, the rate of positivity for leishmaniasis was 11.99%. The highest frequency of leishmaniasis was recorded in February (18.028%), followed by March (17.128%). On the other hand, less incidence was observed in the months of July (4%) and August (4.5%). The incidence of leishmaniasis in Afghan refugees (15.2%) was high as compared to the Pakistani local population (11.48%). Age-wise distribution showed that leishmaniasis was more frequent in the age group 16–30 years (18.21%), while it was least frequent in the age group 60 years (5.86%). The frequency of leishmaniasis was recorded at 16.24%, 16.73%, and 5.28% in 2016, 2017, and 2019, respectively.
In conclusion, the present study revealed a high incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. So proper strategies should be developed by the health care authorities to control the cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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Basit Ali
Department of Zoology, Islamia College University, Peshawar, Pakistan
Muhammad Zahid
Associate Professor, Department of Zoology, Islamia College University, Peshawar, Pakistan