Incidence and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (Dalys) Attributable to Leishmaniasis In Iran, 2013

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis covers a range of clinical manifestations. Estimation of the burden ofleishmaniasis may help guide healthcare management personnel and policy-makers in applying effectiveinterventions. The present study aimed to calculate the incidence and burden of cutaneous and visceralleishmaniasis in Iran in 2013.METHODS: To evaluate the epidemiological aspects of the disease in Iran, published studies over thepast 20 years were searched and the viewpoints of relevant specialists in Iran were obtained. Data werecollected from the Ministry of Health and from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. To calculateyears of life lost due to premature death, standard expected years of life lost was used. Standard life tableof Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 with the life expectancy of 86.02 years for both sexes was usedto calculate the remaining potential years of life at any age from death.RESULTS: The overall incidence of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis was calculated as 22 and0.092 per 100000 population of Iran, respectively. The burden of leishmaniasis was 99.5 years: 95.34 and4.16 years for cutaneous and visceral, respectively. Sensitivity was analyzed and deaths predicted by theInstitute of Health Metrics and Evaluation added, the burden of visceral leishmaniasis was 726 years.CONCLUSION: The share of leishmaniasis burden in Iran is lower than the global burden of thedisease. GBD 2010 standard method is recommended to calculate the burden of leishmaniasis indifferent countries and set local priorities on the basis of these measures.