Clinical profile of leishmaniasis in Polonnaruwa district

Abstract

Sri Lanka is a new focus of human leishmaniasis caused by L. donovani. Over 2200 cases have been referred to General Hospital, Polonnaruwa for diagnosis. L.donovani is a 245 species known to be transmitted anthroponotically without the involvement of an animal reservoir. Hence early case detection and management is accepted as the main control strategy. To facilitate early case detection and management, accurate case description is important. It is best done at local level due to the wide spectrum of clinical manifestations in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. This information is also necessary to enable more effective awareness programs, field screening programs and drug trials which are all timely needs in this field