The increase in neglected cutaneous leishmaniasis in Gaziantep province of Turkey after mass human migration

Abstract Outbreaks of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) due to war-related factors have been reported in different areas in Turkey and Syria. CL has become the most serious of the infectious diseases which have been reported in Gaziantep in southeast Turkey, during the last three years due to the influx of Syrian refugees. The present research involves an analytical cross-sectional epidemiological study of CL cases diagnosed in the Gaziantep Leishmaniasis Diagnosis and Treatment Center. The patient demographic data, the location of the lesions, the number of the lesions, the duration of the lesions, and the treatment of the lesions are included. The diagnosis of CL was made by microscopic examination of smears in all cases, and 81.1% (900/1110) of which were found to be positive. Out of 900 CL patients, 93.8% (845/900) were Syrian citizens and 6.2% (55/900) were Turkish citizens. The disease was more frequent in females with 53.5% (482/900) and in the age group between 0–20 years with 68.3% (615/900). Distribution of lesions in the body showed that the face was the most affected location with 37% (333/900), and the generation time of lesions was 0–6 months with 71.2% (641/900). 94.7% (852/900) of the CL patients healed without relapse, and 5.3% (48/900) of the CL patients relapsed. CL patients have re-emerged in Gaziantep, located in the southeast of Turkey, as a result of Syrian refugees. The increase in CL frequency is alarming and requires control and prevention measures in highly infected areas including this region.