Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy): (IV) An analysis of all recorded human cases

Recent investigations on the distribution of human and canine leishmaniasis, and on the vectors and wild reservoirs of the disease in foci in Tuscany have stimulated a retrospective evaluation of human leishmaniasis of the whole region. From a study of the literature, of statistical reports (ISTAT) and of unpublished information, 77 cases of visceral leishmaniasis and 97 of cutaneous leishmaniasis have been analysed. From the case reports of both forms it appears that: (a) a higher incidence of cases occurred in restricted areas; (b) visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis have been hypoendemic in Tuscany since the years of the earlier reports (1933 and 1936, respectively); (c) the number of infantile visceral cases was much higher in the period from 1933 to 1955 (84.5% of subjects in the 0-10 years age group) than in the subsequent years, 1956-75 (50.0%). The possible significance of the infantile and adult forms of visceral leishmaniasis in Tuscany is discussed, and the local data are compared with those of other regions.