ليشمانيوز جلدي در شهر اردستان

Cutaneous leishmaniosis in Ardestan town

An endemic focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania major zymodeme MON-26 was identified in Ardestan town central Iran in 1997-98. Examination of 1960 students aged 5-17 years old showed a rate of 1.53% for scars and 0.92% for active lesions. The incidence among school children was 3.2 per thousand in 1997. A study of prevalence among 100 households with a total population of 450 persons in Rahmian quarter (northwest of Ardestan) showed a prevalence of 3.26% for scars and 1.3% for ulcers. The most highly infected age group was 10-14 with a rate of 2.74%. Meriones libycus (87.5%) and Nesokia indica (12.5%) were present around the town of Ardestan. Both of them were found to be infected with Leishmania. One out of 14 M. libycus (7.1%) and 1 out of 2 N. indica had positive results. M. libycus is probably the main reservoir host of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis in this area. Four dogs were examined and none of them appeared to be infected. Five species of sandflies (2 species of genus Phlebotomus and 3 species of genus Sergentomyia) are present in this town. The active season of sand flies extends from endrMay through end October. Most probably P. papatasi was the vector because about 93% of indoor sand flies were of this species.