"Public Health Challenges of the 2023 Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Outbreak in Sherani: Patterns, Risks, and the Role of Environmental Factors"
Keywords:
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, visceral Leishmaniasis, stigma, phlebotomine, protozoan, Kaal daana, Kala-azar. Hemorrhages, thrombocytopenia.Abstract
Investigating the growing problem of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) in rural Sherani, Baluchistan, Pakistan, on the border of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the Toti Mountains form a distinct terrain with variable climates, is the focus of this study. May through August is the regions clearly defined rainy season. This creates an atmosphere that is favorable for sand-fly proliferation, which in turn amplifies the spread of CL. A detailed examination of 30 survey participants showed an alarmingly high frequency of CL, with a large majority (66.7%) displaying enduring lesions on the nose, face, and feet that sometimes go untreated for years because there are few available traditional medical therapies.
Notably, our research reveals that vulnerable populations, such as women and children, bear an excessive burden of CL due to chronic infections that may cause harm to other organs. Moreover, carriers of the agent are affected patients who transfer it to healthy sand flies, thus continuing the transmission cycle. Due to the lack of effective therapies, conventional methods must be used, which frequently fail to effectively address the illness. The results of this study highlight the necessity of focused therapies to stop the progression of CL, lessen its effects on this vulnerable group, and avoid long-term consequences. Our research intends to inform evidence-based methods and resource allocation to tackle this debilitating disease by illuminating the nuances of CL in this region.
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