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Epidemiology and clinical features of patients with visceral leishmaniasis treated by an MSF clinic in Bakool region, Somalia, 2004-2006

Raguenaud, Marie-Eve ; Jansson, Anna LU ; Vanlerberghe, Veerle ; Van der Auwera, Geert ; Deborggraeve, Stijn ; Dujardin, Jean-Claude ; Orfanos, Ioannis LU orcid ; Reid, Tony and Boelaert, Marleen (2007) In PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 1(1).
Abstract

BACKGROUND: There are few reports describing the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Somalia. Over the years 2002 to 2005, a yearly average of 140 patients were reported from the Huddur centre in Bakool region, whereas in 2006, this number rose to 1002 patients. Given the limited amount of information on VL and the opportunity to compare features with the studies done in 2000 in this part of Somalia, we describe the epidemiologic and clinical features of patients who presented to the Huddur treatment centre of Bakool region, Somalia, using data routinely collected over a five-year observation period (2002-2006).

METHODOLOGY: Methods used included the analysis of routine data on VL cases treated in the Huddur treatment... (More)

BACKGROUND: There are few reports describing the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Somalia. Over the years 2002 to 2005, a yearly average of 140 patients were reported from the Huddur centre in Bakool region, whereas in 2006, this number rose to 1002 patients. Given the limited amount of information on VL and the opportunity to compare features with the studies done in 2000 in this part of Somalia, we describe the epidemiologic and clinical features of patients who presented to the Huddur treatment centre of Bakool region, Somalia, using data routinely collected over a five-year observation period (2002-2006).

METHODOLOGY: Methods used included the analysis of routine data on VL cases treated in the Huddur treatment centre, a retrospective study of records of patients admitted between 2004 and 2006, community leaders interviews, and analysis of blood specimens taken for parasite species identification in Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 1671 VL patients were admitted to the Huddur centre from January 2002 until December 2006. Nearly all patients presented spontaneously to the health centre. Since 2002, the average patient load was stable, with an average of 140 admissions per year. By the end of 2005, the number of admissions dramatically increased to reach a 7-fold increase in 2006. The genotype of L. donovani identified in 2006 was similar to the one reported in 2002. 82% of total patients treated for VL originated from two districts of Bakool region, Huddur and Tijelow districts. Clinical recovery rate was 93.2% and case fatality rate 3.9%.

CONCLUSIONS: After four years of low but constant VL case findings, a major increase in VL was observed over a 16-month period in the Huddur VL centre. The profile of the patients was pediatric and mortality relatively low. Decentralized treatment centers, targeted active screening, and community sensitization will help decrease morbidity and mortality from VL in this endemic area. The true magnitude of VL in Somalia remains unknown. Further documentation to better understand transmission dynamics and thus define appropriate control measures will depend on the stability of the context and safe access to the Somali population.

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keywords
Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Incidence, Infant, Interviews as Topic, Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis, Male, Mass Screening, Patient Discharge, Retrospective Studies, Somalia/epidemiology, Splenomegaly, Survival Rate, Survivors, Tropical Medicine/statistics & numerical data
in
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
volume
1
issue
1
article number
e85
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:47749112446
  • pmid:17989791
ISSN
1935-2735
DOI
10.1371/journal.pntd.0000085
language
English
LU publication?
yes
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48287201-7255-486e-ac60-c23ca860bd93
date added to LUP
2021-09-01 16:01:36
date last changed
2024-04-06 08:57:49
@article{48287201-7255-486e-ac60-c23ca860bd93,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: There are few reports describing the epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Somalia. Over the years 2002 to 2005, a yearly average of 140 patients were reported from the Huddur centre in Bakool region, whereas in 2006, this number rose to 1002 patients. Given the limited amount of information on VL and the opportunity to compare features with the studies done in 2000 in this part of Somalia, we describe the epidemiologic and clinical features of patients who presented to the Huddur treatment centre of Bakool region, Somalia, using data routinely collected over a five-year observation period (2002-2006).</p><p>METHODOLOGY: Methods used included the analysis of routine data on VL cases treated in the Huddur treatment centre, a retrospective study of records of patients admitted between 2004 and 2006, community leaders interviews, and analysis of blood specimens taken for parasite species identification in Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine.</p><p>PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 1671 VL patients were admitted to the Huddur centre from January 2002 until December 2006. Nearly all patients presented spontaneously to the health centre. Since 2002, the average patient load was stable, with an average of 140 admissions per year. By the end of 2005, the number of admissions dramatically increased to reach a 7-fold increase in 2006. The genotype of L. donovani identified in 2006 was similar to the one reported in 2002. 82% of total patients treated for VL originated from two districts of Bakool region, Huddur and Tijelow districts. Clinical recovery rate was 93.2% and case fatality rate 3.9%.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: After four years of low but constant VL case findings, a major increase in VL was observed over a 16-month period in the Huddur VL centre. The profile of the patients was pediatric and mortality relatively low. Decentralized treatment centers, targeted active screening, and community sensitization will help decrease morbidity and mortality from VL in this endemic area. The true magnitude of VL in Somalia remains unknown. Further documentation to better understand transmission dynamics and thus define appropriate control measures will depend on the stability of the context and safe access to the Somali population.</p>}},
  author       = {{Raguenaud, Marie-Eve and Jansson, Anna and Vanlerberghe, Veerle and Van der Auwera, Geert and Deborggraeve, Stijn and Dujardin, Jean-Claude and Orfanos, Ioannis and Reid, Tony and Boelaert, Marleen}},
  issn         = {{1935-2735}},
  keywords     = {{Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Interviews as Topic; Leishmaniasis, Visceral/diagnosis; Male; Mass Screening; Patient Discharge; Retrospective Studies; Somalia/epidemiology; Splenomegaly; Survival Rate; Survivors; Tropical Medicine/statistics & numerical data}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases}},
  title        = {{Epidemiology and clinical features of patients with visceral leishmaniasis treated by an MSF clinic in Bakool region, Somalia, 2004-2006}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000085}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pntd.0000085}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}