Determinants of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Addis Zemen Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the public health issues in some areas of Ethiopia, and over 3.2 million people are at risk with an estimated 4000 new cases occurring each year in the country. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of VL and its associated risk factors in Addis Zemen Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Data were collected from Addis Zemen Health Center and meteorological office in Addis Ababa from 2012 to 2016. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the determinants of VL. According to the result obtained from the retrospective data analysis, a total of 4100 suspected VL patients diagnosed by rk39 in Addis Zemen Health Center from Libokemkem and nearby districts. Results: The overall prevalence of VL among study participants were 30% (1230/4100). Of this, the prevalence of VL among male and female study participants was 86.8% and 13.2%, respectively. The proportion of sex infected by VL was 3.26 times higher in male than female (AOR = 3.26, 95% CI: 2.42-4.40). The risk of acquiring VL in those people living in rural area was 62% more likely than those residing in urban (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.29-2.04). People that were traveled to the endemic area of VL were 18.44 times more likely to be affected than the people who have not traveled once (AOR = : 18.44, 95% CI: 14.49-23.47). Age, sex, residence, season, travel history to endemic areas, and mean monthly precipitation were found to be statistically significant for VL at 5% significance level. Conclusion and Recommendation: The prevalence of VL in the present study was high with the highest prevalence in the rural areas. Therefore, there is a need of the immediate establishment of sound control and prevention program in rural areas.