Leishmaniasis acquired by travellers to endemic regions in Europe: a EuroTravNet multi-centre study
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Leishmaniasis acquired by travellers to endemic regions in Europe: a EuroTravNet multi-centre study. / Ehehalt, Urs; Schunk, Mirjam; Jensenius, Mogens; van Genderen, Perry J J; Gkrania-Klotsas, Effrossyni; Chappuis, François; Schlagenhauf, Patricia; Castelli, Francesco; Lopez-Velez, Rogelio; Parola, Philippe; Burchard, Gerd D; Cramer, Jakob P.
In: TRAVEL MED INFECT DI, Vol. 12, No. 2, 07.01.2014, p. 167-72.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Leishmaniasis acquired by travellers to endemic regions in Europe: a EuroTravNet multi-centre study
AU - Ehehalt, Urs
AU - Schunk, Mirjam
AU - Jensenius, Mogens
AU - van Genderen, Perry J J
AU - Gkrania-Klotsas, Effrossyni
AU - Chappuis, François
AU - Schlagenhauf, Patricia
AU - Castelli, Francesco
AU - Lopez-Velez, Rogelio
AU - Parola, Philippe
AU - Burchard, Gerd D
AU - Cramer, Jakob P
N1 - Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/1/7
Y1 - 2014/1/7
N2 - BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis include cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). About 90% of cases occur in the tropics or subtropics but the disease is also endemic in the Mediterranean area. No systematic analysis on leishmaniasis in travellers visiting endemic areas in Europe is available.METHODS: Within the European travel medicine network EuroTravNet, we performed a retrospective analysis in travellers who acquired leishmaniasis within Europe diagnosed between 2000 and 2012.RESULTS: Forty cases of leishmaniasis (30 CL and 10 VL) were identified; the majority were acquired in Spain (n = 20, 50%), Malta and Italy (each n = 7, 18%). Median age was 48 years (range 1-79). Three of eight (37.5%) of the VL patients were on immunosuppressive therapy. The most frequent reason for travel was tourism (83%). Median duration of travel for patients with CL and VL was 2 weeks with ranges of 1-21 weeks in CL and 1-67 weeks in VL, respectively (P = 0.03).CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals should include leishmaniasis in the differential diagnosis in patients returning from southern Europe - including short-term travellers - with typical skin lesions or systemic alterations like fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia.
AB - BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis include cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). About 90% of cases occur in the tropics or subtropics but the disease is also endemic in the Mediterranean area. No systematic analysis on leishmaniasis in travellers visiting endemic areas in Europe is available.METHODS: Within the European travel medicine network EuroTravNet, we performed a retrospective analysis in travellers who acquired leishmaniasis within Europe diagnosed between 2000 and 2012.RESULTS: Forty cases of leishmaniasis (30 CL and 10 VL) were identified; the majority were acquired in Spain (n = 20, 50%), Malta and Italy (each n = 7, 18%). Median age was 48 years (range 1-79). Three of eight (37.5%) of the VL patients were on immunosuppressive therapy. The most frequent reason for travel was tourism (83%). Median duration of travel for patients with CL and VL was 2 weeks with ranges of 1-21 weeks in CL and 1-67 weeks in VL, respectively (P = 0.03).CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals should include leishmaniasis in the differential diagnosis in patients returning from southern Europe - including short-term travellers - with typical skin lesions or systemic alterations like fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Child
KW - Child, Preschool
KW - Endemic Diseases
KW - Europe
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Infant
KW - Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous
KW - Leishmaniasis, Visceral
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Travel
KW - Travel Medicine
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2013.12.003
DO - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2013.12.003
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 24388687
VL - 12
SP - 167
EP - 172
JO - TRAVEL MED INFECT DI
JF - TRAVEL MED INFECT DI
SN - 1477-8939
IS - 2
ER -