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Abstract

Background

Human leishmaniasis is a protozoan disease transmitted by sand flies and endemic in the Mediterranean region. In Italy, leishmaniasis is present in the south and the western coastal regions, with an epidemic peak detected in northern Italy in the early 1970s.

Aim

To examine temporal trends, and demographic, clinical, geographical and environmental features of human leishmaniasis cases recorded by the local health unit (LHU) of Bologna, northern Italy.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, we analysed human leishmaniasis cases recorded from 2004 to 2022 within the Bologna LHU. We also conducted serological investigations for canine leishmaniasis in owned dogs living near the place of infection of human cases.

Results

In total, 173 cases of human leishmaniasis were detected, and 154 cases were considered autochthonous. An increase of human cases was observed since 2004, with incidence peaks above 2 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 2013, 2018 and 2022; epidemic peaks were preceded by dry summers. Most cases lived in the plain and hilly areas less than 400 m above sea level and many resided in isolated housing, in city outskirts, and/or near uncultivated areas, watercourses and railway sections. The incidence of canine leishmaniasis did not increase in the study period.

Conclusion

An epidemic of human leishmaniasis with fluctuating annual numbers of cases, probably related to environmental and climatic factors, was identified in the Bologna LHU. Understanding the risk factors and the environmental characteristics related to places of infection is crucial to evaluate the public health implications of leishmaniasis.

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2024-01-25
2024-12-24
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Re-emergence of human leishmaniasis in northern Italy, 2004 to 2022: a retrospective analysis
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Renato+Todeschini&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Todeschini Renato</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Muriel+Assunta+Musti&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Musti Muriel Assunta</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Paolo+Pandolfi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Pandolfi Paolo</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mattea+Troncatti&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Troncatti Mattea</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Morena+Baldini&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Baldini Morena</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Davide+Resi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Resi Davide</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Silvano++Natalini&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Natalini Silvano </a>, <a href="/search?value1=Federica+Bergamini&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bergamini Federica</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Giorgio+Galletti&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Galletti Giorgio</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Annalisa+Santi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Santi Annalisa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Arianna+Rossi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rossi Arianna</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gianluca+Rugna&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rugna Gianluca</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Bianca+Granozzi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Granozzi Bianca</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Luciano+Attard&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Attard Luciano</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Valeria+Gaspari&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Gaspari Valeria</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Giovanna+Liguori&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Liguori Giovanna</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Margherita+Ortalli&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ortalli Margherita</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Stefania+Varani&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Varani Stefania</a></span>. Re-emergence of human leishmaniasis in northern Italy, 2004 to 2022: a retrospective analysis. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2024;29(4):pii=2300190. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.4.2300190" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.4.2300190</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 24 Mar 2023;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 07 Aug 2023 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.4.2300190
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