Study of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the State of Campeche (Yucatan Peninsula), Mexico, over a period of two years

espanolObjetivo. Estudiar la leishmaniasis cutanea en Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico, durante dos anos. Material y metodos. Se estudiaron individuos con lesiones cutaneas, se tomaron aspirados y se inocularon medios de cultivo; se realizo la tecnica de PCR para identificar la especie de Leishmania. Resultados. Los cultivos detectaron 42% de las muestras. Con la PCR se amplificaron 76% de las muestras, 38% fueron tomadas de ninos y 62% de adultos. En 89% de las muestras positivas se identifico Leishmania mexicana, en 14.4% cepas mexicanas de L. mexicana, en 7% L. braziliensis y en 3.6% L. mexicana y L. braziliensis. En Dos Lagunas Sur se encontro una prevalencia de 12.3%, en La Mancolona 6.5% y en La Virgen 2.2%. Del total de los pacientes, 96% se curo con Glucantime. Conclusion. La leishmaniasis cutanea es un problema de salud publica en Calakmul y las especies causantes pertenecen a los complejos Leishmania mexicana y Leishmania braziliensis. EnglishObjective. To study cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), in the Calakmul municipality of the Campeche State, during two years. Materials and methods. Individuals with skin lesions were evaluated. Aspirates taken from the lesions were cultured, PCR was performed to diagnose the Leishmania species. Results. The culture detected 42% of the samples. PCR diagnosed CL in 76% of the samples; of those 38% were from children and 62% from adults. 89% of the patients were infected with L. mexicana; 14.4% with Mexican strains of L. mexicana; 7% with L. braziliensis; 3.6% with L. mexicana and L. braziliensis. The most affected villages with CL were Dos Lagunas Sur with 12.3%, La Mancolona with 6.5% and La Guadalupe with 2.2% of prevalence, respectively. After the treatment with Glucantime, 96% of the patients were healed. Conclusion. CL is an important public health concern in Calakmul, and the parasite causing it belongs to Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania braziliensis complexes.