Children and cutaneous leishmaniasis: a clinical report and review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Mashhad, Iran, is a significant focus for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), primarily caused by Leishmania tropica.
• Children represent 7-10% of CL cases in endemic regions, yet specific clinical and demographic data for this age group are lacking.
• This study addresses the need for comprehensive data on childhood CL in northeast Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics and demographic profiles of children diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis.
• To analyze lesion types, distribution, and chronicity in pediatric CL cases.
• To provide foundational data for understanding childhood CL in the endemic Mashhad region.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted using patient records from Ghaem and Imam Reza hospitals (October 2008 - September 2011).
• Data collected included age, sex, lesion characteristics (chronicity, distribution, type), and affected body parts.
• Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 11.5.

Main Results:

• Out of 8,801 CL cases, 689 (7%) were children under 13.
• The highest prevalence was observed in the 6-9 year age group, with a female-to-male ratio of 0.9.
• Acute lesions (71%) predominated, with the face being the most commonly affected area (77.2%), and papules (37%) being the most frequent lesion type.

Conclusions:

• Childhood CL constitutes a significant proportion of CL cases in northeast Iran.
• The disease shows no marked sex predilection in children.
• The clinical presentation of CL in children is similar to that observed in adult populations.