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Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Yemen: clinicoepidemiologic features and a preliminary report on species identification
Author(s) -
Khatri Mishri Lal,
Haider Nasser,
Di Muccio Trentina,
Gramiccia Marina
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02588.x
Subject(s) - cutaneous leishmaniasis , leishmania , leishmaniasis , medicine , leishmania major , leishmania tropica , dermatology , pathology , parasite hosting , computer science , world wide web
Objective To study the clinicoepidemiologic profile of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Yemen (Hajjah and adjacent regions) and to identify the Leishmania species responsible. Methods All 136 cases [96 (70.6%) males and 40 (29.4%) females] were subjected to detailed analysis. The diagnosis was based on positive slit skin smear and histopathologic studies when needed. In four cases, in vitro culture and Leishmania characterization by isoenzyme electrophoresis of 15 isoenzymes were attempted. Results Most of the patients (107; 78.7%) were residents of the Hajjah Governorate. The majority of the patients had a single noduloulcerative lesion on the face. Slit skin smear was positive for parasites in 128 (94%) cases (highly positive in 63 cases) and four Leishmania isolates were obtained. The isoenzyme characterization results revealed L. tropica to be the species responsible, and zymodeme analysis showed that one strain belonged to zymodeme MON137, and three strains belonged to two previously undescribed zymodemes similar to zymodeme MON71. Conclusion CL seems to be endemic in this region. L. tropica was identified as the species responsible in four strains.