Evaluating outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in military personnel referring to the 554 military Zanjan Hospital in 2008

Leishmaniasis is one of the important parasitic diseases in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.Iran is one of the endemic areas of cutaneous leishmaniasis in worldwide. Staff of the Armed Forces, sometimes, are forced to accommodate in or around cities and villages thus they are at the risk of this disease and they can transfer the disease to other parts of the country. In this study cutaneous Leishmaniasis status has been studied in patients referring to a 554 military Zanjan hospital in 2009. This study is descriptive and cross-sectional. The military personnel with Leishmaniasis returning from the south west of the country (Fakeh) were examined according to questions of a questionnaire. This Study was done on 37 cases of positive cutaneous Leishmaniasis referred to the 554 military Zanjan hospital. Most of the patients had one scar (54.1%). The wounds were mostly on hand (35.1%) and then foot (24.3%). 90% of patients did not notice their bites, because the bite may had no symptoms and pain at first. The results of this study shows that prevention and control among the troops is necessary and recommended before the establishment of camps in the endemic areas of leishmaniasis.