Introduction:

the aim of the study was to analyse the increase in the incidence of leishmaniasis observed in the Xativa-Ontinyent health area of the Valencian Community, Spain, and to determine the clinical profile of this disease, analysing the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and response to treatment.

Methods:

we conducted a retrospective epidemiological study in children aged less than 15 years given a diagnosis of visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis at the Hospital Lluís Alcanyís in Xàtiva between January 2009 and December 2018.

Results:

the study included 37 cases of leishmaniasis, 15 visceral and 22 cutaneous. The median age was 17 months in cases of visceral leishmaniasis and 2 years and 8 months in cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis. At the time of diagnosis, all patients with visceral leishmaniasis presented with fever, anaemia and splenomegaly. Cutaneous leishmaniasis manifested with erythematous papules or plaques. The diagnosis was confirmed by direct visualization of amastigotes in lesion biopsy samples in 68% of cases, and in 32% by PCR of a skin scrape or lesion biopsy. In patients with visceral leishmaniasis, testing of the bone marrow aspirate was positive in 25% and the PCR test of peripheral blood was positive in 100%. All patients with visceral leishmaniasis were treated with liposomal amphotericin B, with resolution of fever within 72 hours. Ninety-one percent of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis were treated with meglumine antimony, and all had favourable outcomes.

Conclusions:

we confirmed the increase in the incidence of leishmaniasis in the years under study and analysed the clinical profile of paediatric cases of leishmaniasis, which differs from the patterns observed in adults, observing a good response to treatment.

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