engleski

Occurence of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis in Croatia

In the last 10 years, a total of 29 cases of leishmaniasis have been recorded in Croatia, 20 of which were visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) and 9 cutaneous leishmaniasis cases. Of the overall number of the infected persons, 17 are inhabitants of the islands and the coastal area and 12 are inhabitants of the continental part of Croatia. Previous research of our authors has shown that this infection is acquired through residence in the southern part of the coastal and island area of Croatia, so we can assume that this fact also refers to patients suffering from both cases of leishmaniasis in the continental region. Vectors of the visceral form of leishmaniasis in Croatia are Phlebotomus major, Phlebotomus tobbi, Phlebotomus perfiliewi and Phlebotomus simici, relatively numerous mosquitoes in the entire coastal area of Croatia. The primary vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis are Phlebotomus papatasii and P. perfiliewi. Dogs, some kind of wild dogs (Canis aureus) and rats and are proven reservoirs of the visceral form of the disease in Croatia. Around 80% of all tourist movements in Europe take the direction of continental area – the coast. 50% of these refer to the coast of the Mediterranean. Croatia is a tourist and Mediterranean country and falls under countries with no special health risk, according to the WHO estimates. Although visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis are not common and do not represent a public health problem in Croatia we would like to warn of the possibility, however small, that persons who have been residents or spent some time in the southern part of the coastal and island area of Croatia might acquire the infection. As the incubation period of the visceral leishmaniasis is long and clinical manifestation at first unspecific, this might cause difficulties in diagnosis in countries where autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis does not exist.

Visceral leishmaniasis; cutaneous leishmaniasis; epidemiological characteristics

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