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Seminaris

"Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Latinamerica: challenges for control"

29/01/2010
13.00 - 14.00 h
Miguel Servet, Facultat de Medicina, Hospital Clínic

Neglected tropical diseases are the clearest expression of inequalities in health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diseases associated with poverty account for 45% of the total disease burden in developing countries.

Leishmaniasis, which is classified as a neglected disease, may lead to disfigurement, severe disability and even death.  Its presence is directly linked to poverty, malnutrition, lack of education and unemployment. There are an estimated 2 million new cases worldwide each year, 1.5 million of them cutaneous forms.  Some 12 million people are currently infected with the disease. According to recent studies, the disease burden from leishmaniasis accounts for 2.3 million disability adjusted life years (DALYs), 2,5% of which correspond to the American region.

In the last 10 years, the number of persons affected by the different forms of leishmaniasis on the American continent has increased considerably.  Cases of leishmaniasis have been reported from southern Texas to northern Argentina, although Chile and Uruguay are unaffected.  The majority of cases in the region are found in Brazil (which accounts for almost 90% of cases). Brazil is followed by the Andean countries, where the figures vary, with Colombia having the highest disease burden in the group, and the second on the continent, with some 18 000 diagnosed cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Existing leishmaniasis control programmes in the region suffer from numerous weaknesses, which need to be assessed and overcome.  One of the main problems identified is connected with the shortcomings of their information and surveillance systems, and with the lack of clear communications between the municipal, district and national authorities.

Given the current situation of leishmaniasis in the American region, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Brazil decided to carry out the project entitled, “Strengthening Leishmaniasis Control Programmes and Surveillance Systems in Latin America”.  The main results and conclusions of this work will be discussed in the present seminar.

Laura Moya, Consultant Dermatologist, Hospital Príncipe de Asturias Alcalá de Henares, Madrid (Spain)

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