Cutaneous leishmaniasis reinfection: Skin disease and leishmaniasis research center, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a self-limited disease that does not cause a major problem in terms of death and disability compared to other diseases. However, permanent disfiguring scar, longterm period of wound healing, secondary infection, drug side effects, treatment duration and secondary effects caused by the drugs increase the impact of the burden of this disease. This study was designed to investigate the status of cutaneous leishmaniasis reinfection in patients referred to Skin Disease and Leishmaniasis Research Center (SDLRC), Isfahan, Iran. Methods: Demographic information such as age, sex, number and place of lesion, migration to endemic areas, nationality, and occupation of the patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis referred to Skin Disease and Leishmaniasis Research Center parasitology laboratory in the years of 2012 and 2013 was collected.Findings: Of 1087 patients diagnosed as having cutaneous leishmaniasis, 75 patients (6.8) had reinfection. Mean age of these patients was 34.73 ± 20.91 years (ranging 1-75). Women (41, 54.7) were affected more than the men (34, 45.3) with no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Some patients with the history of cutaneous leishmaniasis may suffer reinfection after several years of recovery. Less than 10 of patients had this problem in the our study population. Several factors such as genotype or strain variations and immune deficiency due to chronic backgrounds may be involved in the process of reinfection. Further researches are warranted to explore the underlying pathophysiology. © 2010, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.