Incidence of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in humans during the COVID-19 pandemic in Baluchistan Province, Pakistan

Authors

  • Syeda Atiya Bukhari Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9320-6416
  • Lamia Shafqat Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Khawar Bilal Nishtar Medical College University, Multan, Pakistan
  • Ashiq Hussain Department of Microbiology, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Shaista Gul Department of Histopathology, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan
  • Shumaila Naz Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8088-0084
  • Naseer Ali Shah Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Emina Dervišević Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9673-4820
  • Lejla Dervišević Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1050-3384
  • Zurifa Ajanović Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Hajra Manahil Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Aamir Ghafoor Chaudhary Department of Prosthodontics, Islamic International Dental College, Ripah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Ying Wang National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China
  • Haroon Ahmed Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0382-3569
  • Jianping Cao National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1974-0047

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.17781

Keywords:

Cutaneous leishmaniasis, epidemiology, Baluchistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the neglected tropical diseases that affects impoverished communities throughout the world. In Pakistan CL is an endemic disease.

Aims and objectives: This study aimed to determine the incidence of CL infection in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan from January 2020 to March 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: A total of 1047 clinically suspected cases of CL from Bolan Medical College Hospital, Quetta, were followed up in the study. The data regarding the epidemiological characterstics, pathological information, and treatment of patients was collected.

Results: Out of 1047 probable cases of CL, 594 (56.73%) cases were found to be positive for CL. Females had the highest infection rate, with the majority of reported cases being in the 0–9-year age group. Most CL cases were reported in April in the year 2020, with a few cases reported in June. But in the year 2021, the highest number of cases were reported in December. The number of overall cases has gradually increased in the year 2022, most likely because of the reduction in COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The p value for the positive as compared to suspected cases in the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 was calculated as 0.8925, 0.8763, and 0.8535 respectively.

Conclusion: Further epidemiological studies and health education campaigns are recommended to increase public awareness. It is strongly advised that local, provincial, and national health authorities establish and maintain effective leishmaniasis surveillance systems to promptly identify disease outbreaks and implement timely control measures.

Author Biographies

Syeda Atiya Bukhari, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan

Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan,

Lamia Shafqat, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan

Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan,

Ashiq Hussain, Department of Microbiology, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan

Department of Microbiology, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan,

Shaista Gul, Department of Histopathology, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan

Department of histopathology, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan

Shumaila Naz, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, 

Naseer Ali Shah, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan

Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan,

Emina Dervišević, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

Lejla Dervišević, Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

Zurifa Ajanović, Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

Ying Wang, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China

National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China

Haroon Ahmed, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan

Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Biosciences, CIIT, Islamabad, Pakistan

Jianping Cao, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China

National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research); Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China 

The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

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Published

2024-06-30

How to Cite

1.
Bukhari SA, Shafqat L, Bilal K, Hussain A, Gul S, Naz S, Shah NA, Dervišević E, Dervišević L, Ajanović Z, Manahil H, Aamir Ghafoor Chaudhary M, Wang Y, Ahmed H, Cao J (2024) Incidence of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in humans during the COVID-19 pandemic in Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. J Infect Dev Ctries 18:862–869. doi: 10.3855/jidc.17781

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 06: June 2024

Section

Coronavirus Pandemic

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Bukhari SA, Lamia Shafqat, Khawar Bilal, Ashiq Hussain, Shaista Gul, Shumaila Naz, Naseer Ali Shah, Emina Dervisevic, Lejla Dervisevic,  Zurifa Ajanovic, Hajra Manahil, Muhammad Aamir Ghafoor Chaudhary, Ying Wang, Haroon Ahmed, Jianping Cao

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