CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS: AN EMERGING CHILDHOOD INFECTION
Abstract
Background: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) has been an endemic parasitic infection in certainareas of Pakistan. New outbreaks have occurred in many areas not identified previously especiallyin the province of Sindh. The object of this study was to see the prevalence of CL as a childhooddisease. Methods: It was a cross sectional study in which 400 cases coming to various skindisease clinics were included for confirmation of CL by microscopy, culture and PCR. Results:Out of 400 cases, 185 cases of ages from 1–14 years were diagnosed clinically and confirmed byLab. Tests for CL. Both dry and wet types of lesions were observed that indicated presence ofmore than one strain of the parasite. Conclusion: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis was found to besignificantly prevalent in children. The strains were found to be L. tropica and L. major as wasindicated by the nature of lesions and confirmed by PCR.Keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis, Childhood infection, L. tropica, L. major.References
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