Cutaneous leishmaniasis: a neglected clinical manifestation among the tribal population in Nilambur, Kerala, India

P A Fathima; Harish Kumar Shah; R S Aiswarya; P M Ajithlal; T V Shailaja; C Shubin; K J Reena; Prasanta Saini

doi:10.1093/trstmh/trae102

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: a neglected clinical manifestation among the tribal population in Nilambur, Kerala, India

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2024 Nov 19:trae102. doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trae102. Online ahead of print.

Authors

P A Fathima¹, Harish Kumar Shah¹, R S Aiswarya¹, P M Ajithlal¹, T V Shailaja², C Shubin³, K J Reena⁴, Prasanta Saini¹

Affiliations

¹ Indian Council of Medical Research - Vector Control Research Centre (Field Station), Kottayam 686003, India.
² District Government Hospital, Nilambur, Malappuram 679329, India.
³ District Surveillance Unit, Malappuram 676505, India.
⁴ Directorate of Health Services, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695035, India.

PMID: 39558844
DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trae102

Abstract

Background: Different clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis (cutaneous and visceral) caused by Leishmania donovani have been reported from Kerala, India. Leishmania donovani causing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) (also called atypical CL [ACL]) is one of the major health concerns in the Western Ghats belt of the state.

Methods: Skin biopsies of 20 patients with suspected CL from Nilambur, Kerala, were processed for CL diagnosis during the period 2022-2023. Parasite species were characterized using Leishmania-specific Internal Transcribed Spacer-Ⅰ (ITS-Ⅰ) PCR and ITS-Ⅰ RFLP analysis.

Result: A total of 18 cases were confirmed to be CL and the parasite was identified as L. donovani.

Conclusion: These indigenous ACL (CL due to L. donovani) reports from the small foci of Nilambur reveal an emerging endemic zone of leishmaniasis in the Western Ghats.

Keywords: Leishmania donovani; Kerala; Western Ghats; atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Abstract

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