Epidemiology and Control of Leishmaniasis in the Former USSR: A Review Article

BACKGROUND: All types of the Old World’s leishmaniasis were endemic on the territory of the South regions of ex-USSR. Epidemiological situation was well under control during the USSR era, due to implementation of complex anti-leismaniasis measures. These interventions were dramatically stopped as a result of the collapse of the USSR. METHODS: Most relevant publications on epidemiology and control of leishmaniases in the Republics of Central Asia and Transcaucasia of the ex-USSR were screened. RESULTS: Within the endemic area, the foci of different kinds of leishmaniasis are often overlapped thus calling for deployment of integrated measures. The anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) was reported in settlements and towns of Central Asia and Transcaucasia of the ex-USSR. The natural foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis were widespread in the desert of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The northern boundary of the zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) area coincided with the northern boundary of the distribution of great gerbils – the main reservoir of this infection in the ex-USSR. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) occurred in the Central Asian Republics and in the republics of the Transcaucasia. Holistic approach was adopted by the programs targeting the source of infection, vector(s) and man. CONCLUSION: The presence rise in the number of cases of different types of leishmaniasis in the ex-USSR strongly necessitates that health authorities should consider these diseases as an important public health problem. The immediate task would be rebuilding a comprehensive surveillance system consisting of active and passive case detection mechanism along with immediate treatment of the patients.