Authors

1 Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesSkin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz

3 Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

4 Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

5 Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan

Abstract

CONTEXT: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a self‑healing lesion but prevention of complications
and involvement of vital organs such as palpebra requires proper treatment.
AIMS: The main objectives were to detect agents of CL in palpebral region and estimate the proportion
of palpebral lesion also possible complications among CL patients in a zoonotic CL endemic area.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study was performed from April 2012 to March 2013 in a total of
1613 CL suspected patients by interview and physically exam.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The samples were used for direct smear using Giemsa stain method, or
cultured in Novy‑McNeal‑Nicol medium. For further checked, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
was used for negative palpebral samples. Of the 1613 examined samples, 848 (81.4%) by direct
smear, 188 (18%) by culture and 6 (0.6%) by nested PCR were positive, respectively. A total of 233
of the patients showed lesions on the face of whom 15 (male = 5, female = 10, 1.43% of all and
6.43% of facial lesions) presented with palpebral CL. The results of nested PCR indicated that all
the palpebral cases were due to Leishmania major.
CONCLUSIONS: About 93% of the patients with palpebral lesion were under 5 years old and were
infected in the hyper endemic regions, but no ocular complication was seen in any of them. Based
on the results, it seems that early referring to the medical center for proper diagnosis and treatment
is the main reason for prevention of further complications.

Keywords

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