Kashif Shehzad, Imran Ullah, Ayesha Durrani, Numan Ali, Sara Sabir, Faiza Zarif, Ranaz Begum.
Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis at District Mohmand.
J Gandhara Med Dent Sci Jan ;11(2):15-9.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine Cutaneous Leishmaniasis`s epidemiological and clinical characteristics (CL) in the Mohmand district. METHODOLOGY: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at District Headquarters (DHQ) Ghallanai, District Mohmand, involving 360 patients with cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Individuals with coinfections or other skin diseases were intentionally excluded. Data, including gender, age, socio-economic status, size, site, and number of lesions, were recorded. CL was compared among age groups, gender, and socio-economic status using the chi-square test. RESULTS: The mean age was 10.72 +- 5.94 years, with 137 (38.06%) females and 223 (61.94%) males. Most patients suffering from CL had a low socio-economic status (n=175, 48.61%), followed by the middle (n=126, 35%). A minority reported a habit of sleeping on the ground (n=43, 11.94%). About 53 (14.72%) had multiple lesions. The location of lesions varied, with 66 (18.33%) on the arm, 229 (63.61%) on the head, neck, and face, and 65 (18.06%) on the leg. The association of the number of lesions (p=0.61), size of the lesion (p=0.47), and location of the lesion (p=0.27) was not statistically significant. Multiple lesions of CL were more common in the low socio-economic group (n=30, 56.6%) than in the middle (n=10, 18.8%) and high-class (n=13, 24.6%) groups, and the results were statistically significant (p=0.019). Most lesions were on the head, neck, and face, with the highest percentage in the low socio-economic group (66.86%). The rate of lesions on the leg was highest in the middle socio-economic group (19.84%), followed by the low (12.57%) and high (30.51%) groups. The differences in location were statistically significant (p=0.032). CONCLUSION: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) disproportionately affects children, particularly males and those with lower socio-economic status. We observed a notable link between lesion characteristics and socio-economic status.

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