Prevalence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran (2000-2016): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Study

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis affecting humans. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and epidemiological features of CL in Iran by a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The literature search was performed in the SID, Magiran, IranDoc, PubMed, Scopus, Medlib, as well as the Google Scholar search engine databases to find studies on the prevalence of CL. The reference lists of the found articles were also reviewed to obtain additional relevant articles. Studies that were related to treatment and reservoirs of CL were excluded. Forty-four studies were selected for the final analysis.

Meta-analysis with a random-effects model showed that the prevalence of leishmaniasis in Iran was 77 per 100,000 population. Overall, 60% of the patients were men. Most cases of CL occurred in autumn, and the majority of the patients had one lesion, mostly on hands. The most common age group was 20-30 years.

In conclusion, CL is an endemic disease in Iran, and its prevalence is largely affected by geographical locations and regional customs. Appropriate preventing measures should be considered to decrease the incidence of CL in Iran.