Recrudescence of visceral leishmaniasis in Albania: retrospective analysis of cases during 1997 to 2001 and results of an entomological survey carried out during 2001 in some districts

The epidemiological status of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Albania is almost unknown to international health organizations and to the scientific community. Results from a retrospective analysis of recent VL cases, and from an entomological survey carried out in summer 2001 are reported he...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2003-05, Vol.97 (3), p.288-290
Main Authors: Velo, E., Bino, S., Kuli-Lito, G., Pano, K., Gradoni, L., Maroli, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age Distribution
Albania
Albania - epidemiology
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child, Preschool
epidemiology
Female
Human protozoal diseases
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infectious diseases
Insect Vectors
Leishmania infantum
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - epidemiology
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - transmission
Leshmaniasis
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Parasitic diseases
Phlebotomus
Phlebotomus spp
Protozoal diseases
Retrospective Studies
sandflies
visceral leishmaniasis
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Summary:The epidemiological status of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Albania is almost unknown to international health organizations and to the scientific community. Results from a retrospective analysis of recent VL cases, and from an entomological survey carried out in summer 2001 are reported here. From January 1997 to December 2001, 867 parasitologically confirmed VL cases were recorded in 35 of 36 Albanian districts with an average of 173 cases/year and a cumulative morbidity of 2.8/10000 population. The temporal distribution of cases showed an increasing trend (from 144 to 209), indicating that cases have almost doubled during the past 10 years. A high proportion of the patients (67.6%) was children aged < 5 years. The entomological survey confirmed Phlebotomus neglectus as the probable vector, being the most abundant and widespread species. The increase in VL morbidity, 20–40-fold higher than in other southern European countries, could be attributed to increased susceptibility of infants to clinical disease or to variations in Leishmania infection associated with changes in canine reservoir and/or vector populations.
ISSN:0035-9203
1878-3503
DOI:10.1016/S0035-9203(03)90145-3