Abstract:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a significant public health problem with increasing incidence, especially in
extreme circumstances. In this study, we compared the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 685 Syrian CL
patients afflicted by the Syrian conflict and 685 Turkish CL patients in 2012. Patient age, gender, duration of disease,
lesion size, type, and localization were evaluated. The duration of CL disease in Syrian CL patients (4.5 ± 4.3 weeks)
was shorter than that of Turkish CL patients (11.9 ± 9.7 weeks). The number of lesions was greater in Syrian patients
(2.46 ± 2.43) than in Turkish patients (1.93 ± 1.47). Lesion sizes were comparable between both groups (Syrian, 11.2 ±
8.7 mm; Turkish, 10.7 ± 7.7 mm). In Syrian CL patients, nodular type lesions were the most common (325 patients,
49.1%), whereas, in Turkish CL patients, ulcer type lesions were the most common (352 patients, 51.5%). Our results
indicate variations in the clinicoepidemiological features of CL between Turkish and Syrian patients within Sanliurfa
province. This highlights the impact of social unrest and environmental conditions on the epidemiology of CL within
this region. Approaches to prevention, control, and treatment of CL in these areas should take into consideration the
emerging changes in clinicoepidemiological parameters of the disease
