[Leish-l] FW: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Syria (02)

Fri Mar 29 16:36:23 BRT 2013

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From: ProMED-mail <promed at promed.isid.harvard.edu>

Date: 2013/3/28
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leishmaniasis - Syria (02)
To: promed-ahead-edr at promedmail.org

LEISHMANIASIS - SYRIA (02)

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A ProMED-mail post

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International Society for Infectious Diseases

<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Thu 28 Mar 2013

Source: Today's Zaman [edited]

<http://www.todayszaman.com/news-310925-leishmaniasis-outbreak-rings-alarm-bells-at-turkish-syrian-border.html>

Approximately 100 000 people have been infected with the leishmaniasis

parasitic disease in the past 2 years after civil war broke out in

Syria, compared with before the conflict when the number of cases in

Syria had been reduced to 3000-4000 as a result of joint efforts by

Turkish and Syrian authorities.

The increase in the number of patients suffering from the disease is

alarming not only for Syria but for Turkey as well, since

leishmaniasis has also reached Turkey.

Opposition forces who have been leading an uprising against Syrian

President Bashar al-Assad's rule have asked Turkey to deliver 10 000

boxes of Glucantin [supposedly the meglumine antimoniate Glucantime],

a medicine used to treat leishmaniasis, which amounts to one month's

treatment of 20 000 people.

However, there has been no positive response from the Turkish side

yet. Fake Glucantin is being produced and sold for 50 percent less

than the normal price for the medicine in Aleppo.

Dr. Kerem Kinik, coordinator of the Association of Earth Doctors, told

Today's Zaman that his organization has been working to help the

Syrians fight the disease. "We'll provide assistance to fight the

disease, starting with sending medicine. This step is also important

to protect our country [Turkey] from the disease," he said.

The number of doctors in Syria has dropped dramatically from 30 000 to

5000, and 57 percent of the hospitals have been damaged in the

conflict, according to Kinik.

Before the civil war in Syria, the number of leshmaniasis patients had

been reduced to a great extent after studies carried out in 45 centers

in 14 provinces across the nation. After a Syrian health official fled

to Canada following the start of the conflict in the country, the

battle against the disease was halted.

Experts argue that the nation also faces typhoid, cholera and

tuberculosis epidemics.

Turkey imports leshmaniasis medicine via the Turkish Pharmacists'

Association (TEB). TEB Secretary General Harun Kizilay told Today's

Zaman that Turkey could bring the drugs to combat the disease for

Syrians should the Turkish Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency

Management Directorate (AFAD) submit a request at the Health

Ministry.

Professor Fatih Koksal, from Cukurova University's department of

microbiology and clinical microbiology, said _Leishmania infantum_, a

parasite that causes leshmaniasis, has been more common in Turkey in

the recent years. "There was one case each in 2005 and 2010. But now,

30 out of every 100 cases are caused by this parasite. Measures need

to be taken," he urged.

Koksal said he visited the buffer zone between the Cilvegozu and Bab

al-Hawa border gates and observed poor conditions there that might

lead to other epidemics. "The passage of people [from Syria] to Turkey

has increased the frequency of diseases in Turkey."

The symptoms of leshmaniasis are skin sores, fever and anemia and may

result in spleen and liver problems. The disease can be fatal if not

treated. The disease is transmitted by certain species of sandfly and

later passes on to humans from animals, including dogs.

[Byline: Caglar Avci]

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Communicated by:

ProMED-mail <promed at promedmail.org>

[This is probably cutaneous leishmaniasis, which is the most common

form of leishmaniasis in Syria.

It is difficult to confirm the numbers, but as ProMED commented in our

26 Dec 2012 posting on leishmaniasis in Syria, the infection will

increase. It will be interesting to get numbers of cases in Syrian

refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. - Mod.EP

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:

<http://healthmap.org/r/3aLZ>.]

[see also:

Leishmaniasis - Syria: RFI 20130227.1562934

2012

----

Leishmaniasis, tuberculosis - Syria (02): comment 20121227.1471041

Leishmaniasis, tuberculosis - Syria 20121226.1470184]

.................................................sb/ep/msp/dk

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