Study on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis among Clinically Suspected Patients in Taiz City, Taiz Governorate, Yemen

Aims: To determine the prevalence of Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) among clinically suspected patients in Taiz city, Taiz governorate, Yemen and its correlation with age, sex, site and lesions sites and number.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted among clinically suspected patients in Taiz city, Taiz governorate, Yemen during March to August 2014.

Methodology: A Hundred of skin scraping were collected randomly from clinically suspected patients and stained with Giemsa stain for microscopic analysis. Furthermore, epidemiological data including sex, age, residences, place of lesion, and number of ulcer/s or scar/s had been collected using semi-structured questionnaires.

Results: Out of 100 patients, 87 were found positive. The majority of infected patients 69 (79.3%) were coming from rural areas. Males are more infected (57.5%) than females (42.5%). The prevalence of CL was highest in the 1-15 years group (62.1%) than the older age group. The most lesions were recorded on the face (48.3%) than the other sites of the body. The majority (78.2%) had single lesion, 17.2% had two lesions, while three lesions were developed in 4.6% of patients.

Conclusion: Prompt and effective measures will be required to prevent CL.