DISTRIBUTION OF CASES OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN THE CITY OF RIO PRETO DA EVA, AMAZONAS, BRAZIL

Abstract

We analyzed the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 90 patients with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) in Rio Preto da Eva, Amazonas state, Brazil, between 2005 and 2012. All patients had skin lesions, whose isolates were characterized by isoenzyme electrophoresis and identified as Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis (n=80), Leishmania (V.) naiffi (n=3) and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (n=7). Most patients were male (70%) and the age group with the highest number of cases was 11 to 20 years old (31.7%). In terms of occupation, most were farmers or home caretakers (37.7%). Around 95% of cases of CL were from rural areas of endemic foci and the settlement known as Iporá, located at KM 127 of the AM 010 road, had the highest number of cases (33.3%). We conclude that American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease endemic in Rio Preto da Eva (Amazonas State), occurring mainly along the 010 AM Highway, and that infection was mainly acquired through contact with the sylvatic transmission cycle, although the possibility of disease transmission peridomiciliary was also analysed.