Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Its Challenge for Patients and the Healthcare System at Boru Meda Hospital, Amhara Region, North-Central Ethiopia.

Abstract

AbstractBackground: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania aethiopica (L.aethiopica) is a significant public health concern in Ethiopia. It is a vector-borne disease. The treatment center in Boru Meda sees a high number of CL patients, many of whom require multiple rounds of treatment. The increasing prevalence of repeat patients poses challenges for both patients and the healthcare system in effectively managing and preventing the disease. Despite this, there is a lack of comprehensive monitoring of the problem of CL and repeat CL cases. In this study, we analyzed demographic and clinical data from CL patients treated at Boru Meda Hospital Leishmaniasis Treatment Centre (LTC) to assess the burden of CL cases after the civil war in the area.Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted between April and June of the year 2023, focusing on individuals diagnosed with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) within the period spanning from March 2022 to February 2023. The examination primarily involved scrutinizing the registration logbook for fundamental demographic and clinical information. Descriptive statistical methods were employed to elucidate the characteristics of the variables under consideration, while the associations among these variables were evaluated through the application of the chi-square test.Result: During the study period, 492 out of 40,324 total patients were diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis, resulting in a prevalence rate of 1.22%. Males exhibited a significantly higher incidence of CL compared to females (?2:7; P<0.05), with individuals aged ? 20 years being notably affected by the disease (?2:120; P<0.05). The mean age of patients was 22.59±16.96 years. Approximately one-third of the patients were returning; requiring retreatment.Conclusion: Overall, this study showed that CL is a major public health problem in North-Central Ethiopia. Due to the civil unrest in the area, the case number increased by nearly threefold. Hence, the mass movement and displacement exposure for a sand fly bite and immunologically naive peoples could be highly affected and possible CL epidemics may arise. One-third of the CL patients were repeat patients (multiple-time comers). This needs further study on the genomic differences and effectiveness of SSG for treating CL and must be curbed as it results in permanent scarring, disfigurement, and stigma. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2023; 37(2): 00-00]Keywords: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Leishmania aethiopica, Treatment response, Repeat cutaneous leishmaniasis