Imported cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Cuba, 2017: role of human movement

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by several species from genus Leishmania. An increase in the number of cases related to human movement has been informed in the last years. Due to the increase of suspicious leishmaniasis cases arriving in Cuba during 2017, a general analysis is presented herein. METHODS: Clinical samples were collected from 5 patients suspicious of leishmaniasis, received from January to December 2017 at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kourí, Cuba. Skin lesion samples were analyzed using different diagnostic assays: direct smear, histological examination, and molecular analysis for species identification. Epidemiological and demographic data were requested from each case and analyzed. Treatment and follow up of patient was also performed. RESULTS: Five cases were confirmed as Leishmania infection according to microscopic observation and molecular methods results. PCR-18S, PCR-N/RFLP and PCR-F/RFLP identified the following species: L. panamensis (2 cases), L. braziliensis (1 case), L.panamensis/L.guyanensis (1 case), L. mexicana complex (1 case). In treated patients, drugs were well tolerated, cure were documented and no relapse have been currently reported (3 years later). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical characteristics, demographic data, and epidemiological features of infection for each case evidence the potential risk related with travel to endemic areas of leishmaniasis. KEYWORKS: Cutaneous leishmaniasis, Epidemiology, Imported cases.