Dermographic characteristics and geographical distribution of Leishmaniasis patients in a 5 year retrospective in Diyarbakır province

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected, vector-borne parasitic infection caused by over 20 Leishmania species. Transmitted through infected sandfly bites, CL presents with a range of disease manifestations and symptoms. According to the World Health Organization, CL is widespread globally, placing 350 million people at risk, with 12 million infected cases in over 98 countries. Annually, approximately 700,000 to 1 million new cases are estimated worldwide. Risk factors for Leishmaniasis transmission include residence in or travel to endemic regions, poverty, immunosuppression, malnutrition, inadequate housing, and insufficient healthcare resources. The disease is endemic in South America, Southern Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as in neighboring countries like Iraq, Syria, and Iran. In Turkey, CL has been endemic in Southeastern Anatolia and Çukurova since the 1950s, with recent reports in western provinces such as Aydın, Antalya, Hatay, and Mersin. This study aims to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of CL patients in Diyarbakır and their geographical distribution. In this study retrospectively examined 62 CL cases seen at Dicle University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases outpatient clinic from September 1, 2018 to September 30, 2023. The mean age of the patients was 30.24 with an age range of 0 to 79 years, and majority of the cases (35.5%) were found to be between 0-19 years of age. 43.5% (27) of the patients were female and 56.5% (35) were male (Female:Male ratio 1:1.29). Kulp district had the highest patient concentration (38.7%), while no cases were reported in Kocaköy. The majority of lesions appeared as plaque lesions (30.6%), with a total of 246 lesions recorded, ranging from 1 to 25 per patient. Most lesions (53.1%) were on the face, and 62.9% of patients (39 patients) had a single lesion. The mean lesion count was 1.65±3.64 (average 2.65). Of the patients, 77.4% (98) resided in rural areas, while 22.6% (14) were in urban centers, with 71.42% reporting travel to endemic regions. The highest number of cases occurred in December and January. Diagnosis for all patients had been confirmed by identifying amastigotes in lesional smear samples. 53.2% of the patients had been treated intralesional and 46.8% systemically. Key Words: Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous, Diyarbakır