Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, trends of the disease in Koya city, during 2015 to 2018

Abstract

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is not an endemic disease in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, particularly not in Erbil governorate and Koya city. Due to internal conflicts and immigration of people ( from Syria and other parts of Iraq) to the Kurdistan region, the disease has now been reported in koya city among internally displaced persons and military personnel (peshmarga) so, the present study aims to assess the prevalence rate of cutaneous lieshmaniasis in Koya city within 2015-2018. This descriptive-analytical study has been conducted on the victims of cutaneous leishmaniasis during previous years in health centers of Koya city, by extracting the demographic and epidemiologic information of study sample, recorded in Koya health centers, as well as analyzing this data into the patient’s age, gender, place of residence, ethnicity, infected body organ and infection season. The total incidence rate was reported 79 cases within 2015 to 2018 in which 71 (89.9%) were males and 8 (10.1%) were females. The highest total incidence rate of the disease was in the age range 30-39 of 34% and the lowest one in the age range above 50. Most damages (wounds) were observed in the hands and feet. Moreover, the some of the patients had more than one wounds. The highest incidence rate of the disease was reported in autumn and the least one in winter. As the study results revealed, disease prevalence rate has been increased in Koya city during 2015-2018 that is because of war, which can indicate in appropriate hygiene practices by the people during this time of war. However, the number show decline in the end shows improvement in educational-hygienic status.