Epidemiological study in a new focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

An outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Sabzevar county prompted this study of the epidemiology and the ecology of vectors and reservoirs. Examination of 541 schoolchildren showed rates of 9.4% for scars and 5.9% for ulcers. Among 807 inhabitants of 4 villages, 10.4% had scars and 3.0% had active lesions. The most highly infected age group was 0-4 years with a rate of 5.9%. A total of 12 849 sandflies representing 7 species were collected in the study area. Leptomonad infection was found in Phlebotomus papatasi, P. caucasicus and Sergentomyia sintoni. Parasites from man, P. papatasi and Rhombomys opimus, were isolated and characterized as Leishmania major. Based on this survey, this is an epidemic of zoonotic CL, with R. opimus the main reservoir host, and P. papatasi the main vector.