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Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Dorsal Skin of Hamsters: a Useful Model for the Screening of Antileishmanial Drugs
Published on: April 21, 2012
Leishmaniasis in Malta and the Mediterranean basin
1Medical School, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology
|June 17, 1998
Summary
Leishmaniasis remains a health concern in Malta, with a decrease in overall cases but an increase in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and adult diagnoses. Treatment for CL is cryotherapy, while visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is treated with antimonials or amphotericin B.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Leishmaniasis is a significant public health issue in Mediterranean countries, with dogs as reservoir hosts and *Phlebotomus perniciosus* as the vector in Malta.
- Historically, only visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was recorded in Malta, but cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) emerged in the early 1980s.
- While overall leishmaniasis incidence has declined since the 1960s, CL cases have increased, and adult diagnoses are becoming more common.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of leishmaniasis epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment in Malta.
- To highlight the changing patterns of leishmaniasis, including the rise of CL and adult cases.
- To discuss diagnostic approaches and therapeutic options for VL and CL.
Main Methods:
- Review of leishmaniasis cases and trends in Malta.
- Description of diagnostic methods for VL and CL.
- Summary of current treatment protocols for both forms of leishmaniasis.
Main Results:
- Leishmaniasis cases in Malta have decreased overall since the 1960s, but CL incidence has risen.
- Leishmaniasis predominantly affects children, but adult cases are increasingly recognized.
- HIV-VL co-infection is a growing concern in the Mediterranean region.
Conclusions:
- Leishmaniasis diagnosis in endemic areas like Malta should consider clinical presentation and travel history.
- Standard treatment for VL in Malta involves antimonials, with liposomal amphotericin B as an alternative.
- Cryotherapy is the primary treatment for CL in Malta.
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