Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Asir region, southern Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Two hundred and four patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis presenting to the Leishmania Centre at Abha, in Asir region, Southern Saudi Arabia, over a period of one year, were studied. One hundred and seventy-four were Saudi nationals and the other 30 were non-Saudis. Ninety-four% of the patients were living in the highlands of Asir region. The majority of the Saudi patients [70.6%] were between the ages of 5-20 years. Expatriates tended to get the disease at a later age reflecting their lack of immunity to a disease which is endemic in this region but not common in their home countries. Commonly affected sites were the lips [31.7%], nose [22%], cheeks [22%] and forearms [17.1%]. Clustering of cases was found around 3 main regions in Asir. This information would help to evoke interest in the disease and to direct further epidemiological studies on the disease towards these regions. These measures would then maybe lead to the accurate measurement of the prevalence of the disease, and the identification of the vector and possible animal reservoir