Global Dilemma and Needs Assessment Toward Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Controlling Leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis is a disease of poverty that imposes a devastating medical, social, and economic burden on over 1 billion people nationwide. To date, no in-depth study to analyze the major global challenges and needs assessment has been carried out. This investigation aimed to explore a comprehensive narrative review of leishmaniasis's main challenges and initially highlight obstacles that might impede the implementation of control measures. Also, we propose a specific list of priorities for needs assessment. The presence of socioeconomic factors, multiple clinical and epidemiological forms, various Leishmania species, the complexity of the life cycle, the absence of effective drugs and vaccines, and the lack of efficient vector and reservoir control make this organism unique and sophisticated in playing a tangled role to react tricky with its surrounding environments, despite extensive efforts and implementation of all-inclusive former control measures. These facts indicate that the previous strategic plans, financial support, and basic infrastructures connected to leishmaniasis surveillance are still insufficient. Strengthening the leishmaniasis framework in a context of accelerated programmatic action and intensification of cross-cutting activities along with other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is confidently expected to result in greater effectiveness, cost-benefit, and fruitful management. Sensitive diagnostics, effective therapeutics, and efficacious vaccines are vital to accelerating advancement toward elimination, and reducing morbidity/mortality and program costs. Collective actions devoted by all sectors and policy-makers can hopefully overcome technical and operational barriers to guarantee that effective and coordinated implementation plans are sustained to meet the road map for NTDs 2021- 2030 goals.

A prospective longitudinal study on the elimination trend of rural cutaneous leishmaniasis in southeastern Iran: Climate change, population displacement, and agricultural transition from 1991 to 2021.

Leishmaniasis is a complex disease. Any change in weather conditions affects the humans' social and agricultural expansion and, consequently, the parasite's life cycle in terms of ecology, biodiversity, social stigma, and exclusion. This population-based prospective longitudinal investigation was conducted between 1991 and 2021 in a well-defined CL (cutaneous leishmaniasis) focus in Bam County, southeastern Iran. A robust health clinic and health surveillance system were responsible for the ongoing systematic documentation, detection, identification, and management of CL cases. The exponential smoothing method via the state space model was used in the univariate time series. The TTR, smooth, and forecast packages were used in R software. Landsat satellite images from 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021 were employed in the physical development. During this period, the temperature increased while the rainfall and humidity decreased. The findings showed a downward trend in the standardized drought index. Also, the results showed that climate warming and ecological changes profoundly affected the area's agricultural patterns and topographical features. Furthermore, the last three decades witnessed an elimination trend for zoonotic CL (ZCL) and the predominance of anthroponotic CL (ACL). The present findings showed that the critical factors in the predominance of ACL and elimination of ZCL were rising temperature, drought, migration, unplanned urbanization, earthquake, and agrarian reform. The wall-enclosed palm tree gardens excluded the primary ZCL reservoir host. They controlled the disease while providing suitable conditions for the emergence/re-emergence of ACL in the newly established settlements and the unplanned ecozone. Therefore, robust health infrastructures, sustained financial support, and evidence-based research studies are crucial to facilitating the necessary surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation to control and eliminate the disease.

Integration and evaluation of cutaneous leishmaniasis laboratory diagnosis in the primary health care laboratory network.

Background: The lack of an integrated national system prevents the Islamic Republic of Iran from registering and reporting all cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Aim: To establish a laboratory network for the improvement of diagnosis and surveillance of cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran using parasitological and molecular methods. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional, pilot study examined 49 laboratories in the 2 endemic areas for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Samples were taken for identification of the dominant Leishmania species from individuals with cutaneous leishmaniasis referred to the laboratories and had not travelled to other endemic regions. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Using the primary healthcare laboratory network, we established a 3-level surveillance system. We compared misdiagnosis, new cases, clinical relapses, treatment resistance, and treatment failure before and after establishment of the network. Results: Network implementation reduced relapse of cutaneous leishmaniasis. After the laboratory training, the average misdiagnosis rate decreased from 49.3% to 4.2% for positive microscopic slides and from 31.6% to 12% for negative slides. Correct diagnosis was significantly higher in the study areas after the intervention. Conclusion: Implementation of a cutaneous leishmaniasis laboratory network can enhance diagnosis, unify diagnostic methods and improve patient care.

Exploring the spatial pattern of animal bites in Iran (2021-2022).

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge of the spatial pattern of animal bites can be helpful for targeted resource allocation and to develop and deliver effective intervention programs. The aim of this study was to explore the spatial pattern of the animal bites in Iran during 2021-2022. METHODS: Animal bite cases from all provinces and counties in Iran were obtained from a nationally based registry. Global Moran's I was applied to check spatial autocorrelation. The spatially adjusted standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated using the Besag, York, and Mollie (BYM) model. Spatial clusters were identified by local indicators of spatial association (LISA) and purely spatial scan statistic. RESULTS: A total of 260,470 animal bites were registered during the study period. There was a positive spatial autocorrelation (global Moran's I=0.27, p-value=0.001). The majority of SIRs greater than 1.00 was found in counties in the northern belt of Iran (e.g., observed greater than expected animal bites). LISA found that approximately 7% of counties in the north and northeast, 18% in the west and south, and 3% in the central part of Iran were significant hot spots, cold spots, and spatial outliers (p-value≤0.05). Spatial scan statistic detected primary hot spot cluster in the counties in the Mazandaran and Alborz provinces (Relative Risk=2.56, p-value<0.001), while primary cold spot cluster involved counties in Kurdistan and Kermanshah province (0.37, <0.001). CONCLUSION: Animal bites were unevenly distributed in Iran. Further prevention and control programs as well as appropriately resource allocation are needed in order to reduce the observed animal bites spatial disparity.

Epidemiologic Aspects of Animal Bite, Rabies, and Predictors of Delay in Post-exposure Prophylaxis: A National Registry-based Study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The increasing trend in animal bites and rabies in recent years makes the disease a public health concern in Iran. The objectives of the current study were to investigate the epidemiologic aspects of the animal bite and determine the associated risk factors of the delay in initiation of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) against rabies in Iran. STUDY DESIGN: National registry-based cross-sectional study. METHODS: This study included all registered cases of animal bites between March 2021 and March 2022 at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Iran. We retrieved epidemiologic data on person, time, place, and PEP outcome. RESULTS: A total of 260470 animal bite cases (approximately 334 per 100000 populations, and 11 deaths) were registered during the study period. About 77.2% of them were reported in males, 4.3% in children aged less than 5 years, 56.4% occurred in urban areas, 98% in domestic animals, and mostly in north and northeast areas of Iran. Additionally, 2.8% of cases had a delay of more than 48 hours in the initiation of PEP. Significant determinants of the increase in delay were female gender (OR=1.43, 95% CI: 1.36, 1.51, P<0.001), foreign nationality (OR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.12, P=0.001), rural residence (OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.12, P=0.010), and the wild animals (OR=1.22, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.34, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The observed frequency of animal bites in a year indicates a serious public health concern and the need for targeted interventions, especially in at-risk areas and vulnerable populations.

Predicting current and future high-risk areas for vectors and reservoirs of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran.

Climate change will affect the distribution of species in the future. To determine the vulnerable areas relating to CL in Iran, we applied two models, MaxEnt and RF, for the projection of the future distribution of the main vectors and reservoirs of CL. The results of the models were compared in terms of performance, species distribution maps, and the gain, loss, and stable areas. The models provided a reasonable estimate of species distribution. The results showed that the Northern and Southern counties of Iran, which currently do not have a high incidence of CL may witness new foci in the future. The Western, and Southwestern regions of the Country, which currently have high habitat suitability for the presence of some vectors and reservoirs, will probably significantly decrease in the future. Furthermore, the most stable areas are for T. indica and M. hurrianae in the future. So that, this species may remain a major reservoir in areas that are present under current conditions. With more local studies in the field of identifying vulnerable areas to CL, it can be suggested that the national CL control guidelines should be revised to include a section as a climate change adaptation plan.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis situation analysis in the Islamic Republic of Iran in preparation for an elimination plan.

Iran has invariably been under the growing public health threat of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a significant barrier to local development that hinders the prevention and control efforts toward eliminating the disease. So far, no comprehensive and in-depth epidemiological analysis of the CL situation has been carried out nationwide. This study aimed to employ advanced statistical models to analyze the data collected through the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention of Communicable Diseases during 1989-2020. However, we emphasized the current trends, 2013-2020, to study temporal and spatial CL patterns. In the country, the epidemiology of CL is incredibly intricate due to various factors. This fact indicates that the basic infrastructure, the preceding supports, and the implementation plan related to preventive and therapeutic measures need crucial support. The leishmaniasis situation analysis is consistent with desperate requirements for efficient information on the control program in the area. This review provides evidence of temporally regressive and spatially expanding incidence of CL with characteristic geographical patterns and disease hotspots, signifying an urgent need for comprehensive control strategies. This information could be a suitable model and practical experience in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, where over 80% of CL is reported.

High-risk spatiotemporal patterns of cutaneous leishmaniasis: a nationwide study in Iran from 2011 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a wide-reaching infection of major public health concern. Iran is one of the six most endemic countries in the world. This study aims to provide a spatiotemporal visualization of CL cases in Iran at the county level from 2011 to 2020, detecting high-risk zones, while also noting the movement of high-risk clusters. METHODS: On the basis of clinical observations and parasitological tests, data of 154,378 diagnosed patients were obtained from the Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Utilizing spatial scan statistics, we investigated the disease's purely temporal, purely spatial, spatial variation in temporal trends and spatiotemporal patterns. At P = 0.05 level, the null hypothesis was rejected in every instance. RESULTS: In general, the number of new CL cases decreased over the course of the 9-year research period. From 2011 to 2020, a regular seasonal pattern, with peaks in the fall and troughs in the spring, was found. The period of September-February of 2014-2015 was found to hold the highest risk in terms of CL incidence rate in the whole country [relative risk (RR) = 2.24, P < 0.001)]. In terms of location, six significant high-risk CL clusters covering 40.6% of the total area of the country were observed, with the RR ranging from 1.87 to 9.69. In addition, spatial variation in the temporal trend analysis found 11 clusters as potential high-risk areas that highlighted certain regions with an increasing tendency. Finally, five space-time clusters were found. The geographical displacement and spread of the disease followed a moving pattern over the 9-year study period affecting many regions of the country. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has revealed significant regional, temporal, and spatiotemporal patterns of CL distribution in Iran. Over the years, there have been multiple shifts in spatiotemporal clusters, encompassing many different parts of the country from 2011 to 2020. The results reveal the formation of clusters across counties that cover certain parts of provinces, indicating the importance of conducting spatiotemporal analyses at the county level for studies that encompass entire countries. Such analyses, at a finer geographical scale, such as county level, might provide more precise results than analyses at the scale of the province.

Is Chronic Kidney Disease, a Predictor of In-Hospital Mortality in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Patients?

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important comorbidity in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients considering its high prevalence. We aimed to figure out the relationship between CKD and COVID-19 mortality in this study. Materials and Methods: In total, 116 CKD patients (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] lower than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 147 control subjects confirmed with COVID-19 were studied. Data regarding demographics, sign and symptoms, laboratory findings, and chest computed tomography were collected. Association between CKD and in-hospital mortality were analyzed using logistic regression models adjusted for confounders. Results: Mortality rate was significantly higher in CKD than non-CKD (30.17 vs 4.76, P < 0.001) COVID-19 patients. Multivariate logistic regression showed that CKD was significantly correlated with in-hospital mortality in the total sample (Odds ratio (OR) = 8.64, confidence interval (CI): 3.67-20.35) and gender subgroups (females: OR = 4.77, CI: 1.38-16.40, males: OR = 13.43, CI: 3.85-46.87) (P < 0.05) of COVID-19 patients in the crude model. Whereas, the correlation did not remain significant in the fully adjusted model in the total sample (OR = 1.70, CI: 0.35-8.19) and gender subgroups (females: OR = 1.07 CI: 0.06-19.82, males: OR = 0.87, CI: 0.07-10.33) (P > 0.05) of COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: This study suggested an independent association between CKD and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, more intensive surveillance of COVID-19 patients with CKD is to be warranted.

Secondary bacterial infection caused by ST16 NDM-1 and OXA-48-producing colistin and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae treated with tigecycline in a pregnant woman with COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid emergence of carbapenem and colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has resulted in an alarming situation worldwide. We aimed to describe secondary infections and antimicrobial use, in a pregnant woman admitted to hospital with COVID-19. A 28-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19. According to the clinical conditions, the patient was transferred to the ICU on the second day. She was empirically treated with ampicillin and clindamycin. Mechanical ventilation through an endotracheal tube was started on the 10th day. During her hospitalization in the ICU, she was infected with ESBL-producing K. pneumonia, Enterobacter spp and carbapenemase-producing colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. Finally, the patient was treated with tigecycline monotherapy that was associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia clearance. Bacterial co-infection is relatively infrequent in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Treatment of infections caused by carbapenemase-producing colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates is challenging, with limited antimicrobials available in Iran. In order to prevent the spread of extensively drug-resistant bacteria, infection control programs must be implemented more seriously.

Field Efficacy of Topical Nano-Liposomal Amphotericin B (Sina Ampholeish®) Alone or in Combination with Glucantime® and Cryotherapy on Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease that presents a broad spectrum of clinical features. Treatment of CL is problematic. We aimed to compare the field therapeutic efficacy of topical nanoliposomes containing 0.4% amphotericin B (Nano Lip-AmB) alone and in combination with cryotherapy and/or Glucantime® on human CL in the endemic areas of Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was performed based on the results of using Nano Lip-AmB alone or with Glucantime® and/or cryotherapy in the treatment of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in patients referred to health centers of Isfahan, Golestan and Ilam Provinces of Iran as endemic foci of ZCL caused by Leishmania major besides Mashhad and Bam cities as endemic foci of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) caused by with L. tropica. Results: Two hundred and seventy-eight patients with CL were included in the current study. All of the patients (100%) who received Nano Lip-AmB alone or in combination with Glucantime® and/or cryotherapy based on guideline of Iranian national committee for the treatment of CL. Two patients with 7 skin lesions, who was resident in ACL endemic area and received Nano Lip-AmB plus Glucantime® and another patient was a resident of ZCL endemic area and received Nano Lip-AmB plus cryotherapy showed clinical relapses after treatment. Conclusion: Sina Ampholeish® in combination with other standard protocols of treatment of CL is well tolerated and with acceptable clinical efficacy rate.

Recurrent miscarriage in a woman with congenital factor V deficiency: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Factor V deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder that can be either congenital or acquired. Factor V deficiency mostly present with mucosal bleeding. Coagulation factor V does not increase considerably during normal gestation. Since pregnancy can be threatened by blood clotting disorders, abnormal changes in coagulation factors level can pose challenges to pregnant women. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 40-year-old pregnant woman with prolonged gingival bleeding and epistaxis at 28 weeks of pregnancy. Her past medical history included two unexplained abortions. Physical examination was unremarkable, but the blood test showed elevated PT and PTT with a considerable decrease in factor V activity, while other factors were within normal range. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with congenital factor V deficiency. After treatment with fresh frozen plasma, she underwent vaginal delivery and a baby with factor V deficiency was born. CONCLUSIONS: This is the second report of recurrent miscarriage in congenital factor V deficiency patients. Clinicians should consider the possibility of factor V deficiency in women with a history of idiopathic miscarriage even in patients without any symptoms.

Fifty years of struggle to control cutaneous leishmaniasis in the highest endemic county in Iran: A longitudinal observation inferred with interrupted time series model.

Negligible data are available following major social activities and environmental changes on leishmaniasis. Therefore, how interactions between these events influence cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) risk is not well-known. This longitudinal study was undertaken to explore the impact of interventions conducted between 1971 and 2020 in Bam county, which has had the highest disease burden in Iran. Only confirmed CL cases during this period were taken into account. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using the X2 test to assess the significance of the difference between proportions. Moreover, we used interrupted time series (ITS) to assess the impact of three environmental events during this period. Overall, 40,164 cases of CL occurred in the past five decades. Multiple complex factors were among the leading causes that synergistically induced the emergence/re-emergence of CL outbreaks in Bam. The main factors attributed negatively to CL control were cessation of malaria spraying activity, expansion of the city spaces, and a massive earthquake creating new breeding potentials for the vectors. The highest impact on CL incidence during these years was related to the earthquake [coefficient = 17.8 (95% CI: 11.3, 22.7); p-value < 0.001]. Many factors can contribute to CL outbreaks in endemic foci. They also can cause new foci in new areas. Since humans are the single reservoir for CL in this area, early detection and effective management significantly contribute to controlling CL to reduce the disease burden. However, essential evidence gaps remain, and new tools are crucial before the disease can ultimately be controlled. Nevertheless, sustained funding and more trained task forces are essential to strengthen surveillance and case management and monitor the interventions' impact.

Climate change and its effect on the vulnerability to zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran.

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is an important vector-borne disease with an incidence of 15.8 cases per 100,000 people in Iran in 2019. Despite all efforts to control the disease, ZCL has expanded into new areas during the last decades. The aim of this study was to predict the best ecological niches for both vectors and reservoirs of ZCL under climate change scenarios in Iran. Several online scientific databases were searched. In this study, various scientific sources (Google Scholar, PubMed, SID, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Irandoc, Magiran) were searched. The inclusion criteria for this study included all records with spatial information about vectors and reservoirs of ZCL which were published between 1980 and 2019. The bioclimatic data were downloaded from online databases. MaxEnt model was used to predict the ecological niches for each species under two climate change scenarios in two periods: the 2030s and 2050s. The results obtained from the model were analysed in ArcMap to find the vulnerability of different provinces for the establishment of ZCL foci. The area under the curve (AUC) for all models was >0.8, which suggests the models are able to make an accurate prediction. The distribution of all studied species in different climatic conditions showed changes. The variables affecting each of the studied species are introduced in the article. The predicted maps show that by 2050 there will be more suitable areas for the co-occurrence of vector and reservoir(s) of ZCL in Iran compared to the current climate condition and RCP2.6 scenario. An area in the northwest of Iran is predicted to have suitable environmental conditions for both vectors and reservoirs of ZCL, although the disease has not yet been reported in this area. These areas should be considered for field studies to confirm these results and to prevent the establishment of new ZCL foci in Iran.

Leishmania spp. infection in Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus as main reservoirs of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in central parts of Iran: Progress and implications in health policy.

Rodents from the subfamily Gerbillinae are the principal reservoir of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania major in the center and northeast of Iran. This study was conducted to determine both naturally occurring Leishmania infection rates and the distribution of Leishmania species in the central parts of Iran during 2019-2020. In this regard, presence of Leishmania parasites were confirmed by microscopic examination and the species were identified by nested-PCR using the Internal Transcribed Spacer2- Ribosomal DNA (ITS2-rDNA). Finally, some samples were sequenced and, the blast analysis of L. major samples, showed a 92.45-100% homology to the L. major sequence. Of the 181 wild gerbils collected (Rhombomys opimus=157 and Meriones lybicus=24), 88 (48.6%) tested positive for Leishmania sp. by microscopic examination whereas 162 (89.5%) were positive by nested-PCR. Of the 162 infected gerbils, 103 showed single strain infections (30 L. major, 28 L. gerbilli and 45 L. turanica), 43 showed dual infections with only the non-human species (L. gerbilli and L. turanica), and 16 were mixed infections of L. major and L. turanica (n = 14) or L. gerbilli (n = 2). All single or mixed L. major infections were detected in gerbils from areas with reports of human CL during the last decade. These findings suggest that Rhombomys opimus and Meriones libycus have a potential role in the maintenance of human and non-human transmission of Leishmania species in the CL foci.

The Incidence and Geographical Distribution of Brucellosis in Iran Using Geographic Information System and Prediction of its Incidence in 2021.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is one of the most challenging health issues in many developing countries including Iran. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence and geographical distribution of brucellosis using Geographic Information System (GIS) and to predict its incidence in Iran in 2021. METHOD: This is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, which contains spatial and climatic information along with the prevalence rate of brucellosis in Iran. Disease information was obtained from the National Center for Infectious Diseases Management during 2011-2015. Then, Arc GIS version 9.3 was used to plot the geographical maps for the incidence and frequency of the disease. Using the Raster calculator tool, the disease prediction map for the future was plotted. For proper spatial distribution of hot and cold spots, Getis-Ord-Gi statistic was employed. FINDINGS: The highest incidence of brucellosis during 2009-2015 was observed in the western provinces of Iran (North Khorasan, South Khorasan and Razavi Khorasan provinces). The incidence of brucellosis in Iran decreased from 2009 to 2011 but it exhibited an increasing trend from 2011 to 2014. The provinces of Kurdistan, Lorestan, Ilam, Zanjan and Kermanshah may be among the hot spots in terms of brucellosis incidence in 2021. CONCLUSION: We predicted significant variations in brucellosis risk distribution in Iran in the coming years. In the western and northwestern provinces, which are among the high risk areas for the incidence of this disease in the future, this disease can pose a serious health threat to the residents of these areas.

Trend and epidemiological patterns of animal bites in Golestan province (Northern Iran) between 2017 and 2020.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is one of the oldest zoonosis viral diseases, which still remains as one of the most important threats to public health in the 21st century. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined epidemiologic features of all 33,996 cases of persons bitten by animals and referred to the rabies prophylaxis centers in Golestan province between March 2017 and March 2020. Factors included demographic information of the victim (age, gender, and occupation), type of invasive animals (dog, cat, and other types), time of bite (year, month, and hour), place of residence (urban or rural), and injury and treatment statuses. We also obtained national and provincial animal bite incidence data for all of Iran and for Golestan province for the longer interval 2013-2020 to examine broader time trends. We used SPSS version 19, QGIS version 3.1, and Excel 2013 to generate frequency distributions and descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The incidence rates of animal bites in Golestan province and Iran as a whole both increased smoothly. The latest incidence rate of animal bites in Golestan was 652 per 100,000 people, almost three times the overall national figure for 2020. Most cases of animal bites (67.6%) occurred in rural areas, and 36% of the victims aged under 19 years old. Dog and cat bites accounted for the great majority of cases (89% and 8%, respectively). The highest rate of animal bites was reported in the spring (30.8%). The lower limb was the most commonly bitten area in these individuals (64.6%). Of note, 87% of the cases received incomplete prophylactic post-exposure treatment, and 18% received immunoglobulin. CONCLUSION: The increasing rates of animal bites in the study area as well as the higher rate compared to the national average indicates the need for further review of animal bite control programs.

Human Cutaneous Leishmaniosis in Iran, Up to Date-2019.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected and parasitic vector borne diseases that is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries, including Iran. The aim of this study was to explain the present status of CL in Iran. This report is based on data that recorded by cutaneous leishmaniasis surveillance system in 2019, and evaluated in Center for Communicable Diseases Management in Ministry of Health in Iran. Iran has been considered an endemic area for cutaneous leishmaniasis in the world. Dependent to activities for cutaneous leishmaniasis control the number of cases decreased from 23202 in 2008 (Incidence rate 32 per 100000) to 13124 in 2019 (Incidence rate 15.8 per 100000), more cases reported from September to December, in 2019, 46% of cases had one lesion and 21% had 2 lesions, 85% of cases diagnosed when the diameter of lesions had 3 centimeters and bellows. Although the Leishmania control program began in 1977, the incidence of the disease has dropped dramatically since 2008 when the new cutaneous leishmaniasis control program have been implemented. Although in some areas the incidence of the disease increased, but the implementation of the new program has reduced the number of cases, in order to continue reducing the disease, permanent support for the control programs is needed.

A Feasibility Study on Using the Facilities of Health Centers for Developing a Laboratory Network on Vectors and Reservoir Hosts of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an ancient endemic disease in Iran and continues to be a growing health threat to community development and the environment. This paper explains how to use the facilities of health centers for developing a laboratory network on vectors and reservoir hosts of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Methods: A literature search was performed of the relevant multiple databases to include studies on vectors and reservoirs of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. A team of experienced experts was performed. After holding several meetings, field visits and organizing workshops, the activities of laboratories were determined at three levels. Results: Entomological studies showed that 5 species of the genus Phlebotomus and 10 species of the genus Sergentomyia are active in the south, 4 species of the genus Phlebotomus and one species of the genus Sergentomyia in the central part and 5 species of the genus Phlebotomus and 2 species of the genus Sergentomyia in the north east. Reservoir hosts were identified in the study areas. The tasks of laboratories were regulated at different levels. Conclusion: The Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education should prioritize the employment of capable persons in the field of Medical Entomology and Vector Control. The survival of this laboratory network depends on hiring and employing interested and persistent people. The universities of Medical Sciences that have the facilities to set up this network will be a very effective partner in the control of the disease in high risk areas. The results can be used in neighboring countries.

Impact of Environmental and Climate Factors on Spatial Distribution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Northeastern Iran: Utilizing Remote Sensing.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a dermal and parasitic disease.. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of environmental and climate factors on spatial distribution of CL in northeastern Iran by utilizing remote sensing from 20 March 2016 to 19 March 2017. METHODS: In this ecological study, the data were divided into two parts: The descriptive data on human CL cases were gathered from Communicable Diseases center of Iran. The remote sensing techniques and satellite imagery data (TRMM, MODIS-Aqua, MODIS-Terra and AMSR-2 with spatial resolution 0.25°, 0.05°, 5600m and 10km) of environmental and climate factors were used to determine the spatial pattern changes of cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence. RESULTS: The incidence of CL in North Khorasan, Razavi Khorasan, and South Khorasan was 35.80 per 100,000 people (309/863092), 34.14 per 100,000 people (2197/6,434,501) and 7.67 per 100,000 people (59/768,898), respectively. The incidence of CL had the highest correlation with soil moisture and evapotranspiration. Moreover, the incidence of disease was significantly correlated with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and air humidity while it had the lowest correlation with rainfall. Furthermore, the CL incidence had an indirect correlation relation with the air temperature meaning that with an increase in the temperature, the incidence of disease decreased. CONCLUSION: As such, the incidence of disease was also higher in the northern regions; most areas of North Khorasan and northern regions of Razavi Khorasan; where the rainfall, vegetation, specific humidity, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture was higher than the southern areas.