spatial epidemiology of clinical forms of cutaneous leishmania-sis and treatment practice: evidence from leishmaniasis re-search and treatment center, northwest ethiopia

Background: we aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of cutaneous leishmaniasis’s (cl) clinical polymorphism by examining the relationship between clinical forms, duration of illness, and their spatiotemporal distribution.methods: a retrospective study at university of gondar hospital analyzed cutaneous leishmaniasis patients treated from 2022 to 2024. demographic and epidemiologic data were collected, with parasite detection via microscopic and clinical examination.results: overall, 454 cl cases from 49 districts were diagnosed, predominantly affecting males aged ≤30, with a mean age of 25.31 yr (sd ±18.3). significant differences were noted in age and sex (p<0.05). approximately 70% had lesions ≥4 cm. most cl cases had 2+ parasite loads. sodium stibogluconate (ssg) remained the primary treatment choice for patients. the spatial distribution of cl cases covered a larger geographical area, although the cases (>20) were concentrated in central gondar. the mucosal cl shared a similar geographical pattern with the recurrent cl type. notably, 48% had chronic presentations and lived with the disease for ≥12 months. in diffuse cl (dcl) a longer delay was seen and its clinical presentation was associated with longitudinal time series. acute patients exhibited a higher parasitic load than chronic ones (38% vs. 24%), respectively.conclusion: cl significantly affected school-aged children. the symmetrical distribution of cases in districts studied could increase the attention of clinicians and enhance management strategies. extended disease durations necessitated specialized treatments for clinical transitions.