Infectious Diseases Unit Research Articles

COVID-19: How can a department of general surgery survive in a pandemic?

COVID-19: How can a department of general surgery survive in a pandemic?

Clinical and microbiological effect of a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin in 80 COVID-19 patients with at least a six-day follow up: A pilot observational study.

BackgroundWe need an effective treatment to cure COVID-19 patients and to decrease virus carriage duration.MethodsWe conducted an uncontrolled, non-comparative, observational study in a cohort of 80 relatively mildly infected inpatients treated with a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin over a period of at least three days, with three main measurements: clinical outcome, contagiousness as assessed by PCR and culture, and length of stay in infectious disease unit (IDU).ResultsAll patients improved clinically except one 86 year-old patient who died, and one 74 year-old patient still in intensive care. A rapid fall of nasopharyngeal viral load was noted, with 83% negative at Day7, and 93% at Day8. Virus cultures from patient respiratory samples were negative in 97.5% of patients at Day5. Consequently patients were able to be rapidly discharged from IDU with a mean length of stay of five days.ConclusionWe believe there is urgency to evaluate the effectiveness of this potentially-life saving therapeutic strategy at a larger scale, both to treat and cure patients at an early stage before irreversible severe respiratory complications take hold and to decrease duration of carriage and avoid the spread of the disease. Furthermore, the cost of treatment is negligible.

Modification of Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels Following Anti-HCV Therapy with Direct Antiviral Agents: A New Marker of Neurocognitive Disorders

Background: A large number of central nervous system impairments occur in subjects with chronic HCV infection regardless of liver disease. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an essential role in the adult brain concerning its development and proper functioning. Our study aimed at contributing to the discussion on the involvement of BDNF in neurocognitive disorders associated with HCV infection. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neurocognitive disorders in a cohort of HCV-infected subjects, to measure serum BDNF levels in the same cohort according to the degree of neurocognitive disorders, and to evaluate serum BDNF level modification in HCV-infected patients after direct antiviral agents (DAA) therapy. Methods: We enrolled patients scheduled for DAA therapy in January 2018 from three infectious disease units in Eastern Sicily. Each participant was evaluated for neurocognitive status with MoCA score at baseline and 12 and 24 weeks after the end of therapy. Moreover, we measured serum BDNF levels at baseline and 12 weeks after the end of therapy. Results: Of 70 HCV-infected patients, 42 (60%) were males. The average age was 57 ± 19 years and the average ALT level was 79 ± 24 UI/mL; 38 (54.3%) individuals had HCV genotype 1 infection and 23 (32.8%) and 25 (35.7%) individuals had F1 and F2 fibrosis stages, respectively. Moreover, 67 (95.7%) individuals achieved sustained virological response. The MoCA score at baseline identified four groups of patients. Higher MoCA scores 24 weeks after the end of therapy highlighted the improvement of neurocognitive status in all groups. Serum BDNF levels in the same four groups, measured 12 weeks after the end of DAA therapy, appeared significantly modified compared to baseline serum BDNF levels, matching the improvement of MoCA score results obtained 24 weeks after DAA therapy. Conclusions: The serum BDNF level may represent a useful marker of cognitive dysfunction in patients with HCV infection and a useful index for assessing the post-therapy follow-up.

Assessment of Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals Working in the Infectious Diseases Units: Comparative Study

Assessment of Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals Working in the Infectious Diseases Units: Comparative Study

Comparison of Monocyte Distribution Width (MDW) and Procalcitonin for early recognition of sepsis.

We carried out a prospective observational study to evaluate whether Monocyte Distribution Width (MDW) may play a role in identifying patients with sepsis in comparison with Procalcitonin (PCT). We prospectively enrolled all consecutive patients hospitalized at the Infectious Diseases Unit of Pescara General Hospital for bacterial infection or sepsis. MDW values were collected for all patients. Clinical characteristics, demographic data, past and present medical history, microbiological results, PCT, as well as neutrophil and monocytes indices at entry were compared in the 2 groups. Two-hundred-sixty patients were enrolled, 63.5% males, aged 59.1±19.5 years. Sepsis was diagnosed in 105 (40.4%); in 60 (57.1%) at least 1 microorganism was isolated from blood cultures. In multivariate models, MDW as a continuous variable (OR:1.57 for each unit increase; 95%CI: 1.31–1.87, p<0.001) and PCT˃1 ng/mL (OR: 48.5; 95%CI: 14.7–160.1, p<0.001) were independently associated with sepsis. Statistical best cut points associated with sepsis were 22.0 for MDW and 1.0 ng/mL for PCT whereas MDW values<20 were invariably associated with negative blood cultures. At ROC curve analysis, the AUC of MDW (0.87) was nearly overlapping that of PCT (0.88). Our data suggest that incorporating MDW within current routine WBC counts and indices may be of remarkable use for detection of sepsis. Further research is warranted.

Evaluating the Preparedness of Child Health Facilities and Health Care Providers to COVID 19 Pandemic

The challenges of diagnosis of SARS-CoV2 infection in the paediatric population includes not only the mild nature of the disease, but the similarity in the symptomatology of the COVID-19 disease to common childhood illness, and the possibility that the infected children could be “silent transmitters” to the family members and health care workers [HCW]. The challenge raises the doubt on the level of preparedness, awareness of the child health facilities [HCF], and HCW in adopting measures at combatting the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study evaluated the preparedness and response of HCF and HCW in paediatric settings to the 2019-novel coronavirus pandemic. A cross-sectional study involving child HCF and HCW. An online tool was used to evaluate preparedness for the management of infectious disease outbreaks as typified by the COVID-19 Outbreak. The information collected included demographic characteristics of the health personnel providing care for children, infection control practices, knowledge, and preparedness for prevention of COVID-19. Data generated were analyzed using the SPSS version 23.0. A majority of respondents were medical doctors (89%), practicing for >5years (75%), and in public health care facilities (69%). A significant proportion of the health facilities had an infectious disease unit (68%) and policy on disease outbreak (60%) in place. 144 (96%) respondents knew SARS-CoV-2 was responsible for COVID-19 and the incubation period was an average of 2 – 14 days. Most of the respondents were aware that the disease could be with or without symptoms (86%), as well as mimic other childhood illnesses (93%). Most of the centres (55%) had fair policy strength towards combating the disease. IPC policies have been established in most paediatric facilities to combat the recurring threat of communicable disease outbreaks. There is a need for further scaling up of resources to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instrument to streamline the process of sending biological samples to an epidemiological surveillance center, from a Reference Unit for infectious and parasitic diseases.

Introduction: The sending of biological materials for specific exams to the Public Health Laboratory of Amazonas (LACEN-AM) depends on documents containing essential information to guide the performance of the tests, which need to go through a quality process and in most cases the lack of data compromises the streamflow to LACEN-AM. Objective: Create a checklist for the process of sending samples to the Public Health Laboratory (LACEN-AM). Methods: The Health Surveillance Guide (GVS), Integrated Manual for Epidemiological Surveillance of botulism, technical notes, reference technicians for information on registration and tests performed at LACEN-AM were consulted and the sequence of activities was also observed. carried out in the notification epidemiology sector, the orientation of the collection of biological material until the sending of the samples. Results: Between 2017 and 2019, 6 lists were sent to send samples to LACEN-AM, one list for each disease (Paracoccidioidomycosis, Hydatidosis, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Acute Flaccid Paralysis, Human Rabies and Botulism). Conclusion: It is necessary to simplify the procedures related to the notification activities for sending biological material samples, improving operationalization, especially for paracocociodiomycosis, hydatidosis and SRAG, diseases that are not included in the GVS, making it difficult to understand the flow of sending biological materials when requested or, in the cases of (PFA), human rabies and botulism which, because they are in the process of monitoring, have their flows difficult to discern. Therefore, disseminating these procedures by means of an instrument can contribute to the improvement and understanding of the technicians who work in epidemiological surveillance, and will certainly speed up their actions, ensuring speed in sending the samples.

Healthcare Associated Infections: An Interoperable Infrastructure for Multidrug Resistant Organism Surveillance.

Prevention and surveillance of healthcare associated infections caused by multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) has been given increasing attention in recent years and is nowadays a major priority for health care systems. The creation of automated regional, national and international surveillance networks plays a key role in this respect. A surveillance system has been designed for the Abruzzo region in Italy, focusing on the monitoring of the MDROs prevalence in patients, on the appropriateness of antibiotic prescription in hospitalized patients and on foreseeable interactions with other networks at national and international level. The system has been designed according to the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles, and Healthcare Service Specification (HSSP) standards and Clinical Document Architecture Release 2 (CDAR2) have been adopted. A description is given with special reference to implementation state, specific design and implementation choices and next foreseeable steps. The first release will be delivered at the Complex Operating Unit of Infectious Diseases of the Local Health Authority of Pescara (Italy).

Bir Çocuk Kliniğinin COVID-19 Pandemi Yönetimi Deneyimleri: Dr. Behçet Uz Çocuk Hastalıkları ve Cerrahisi Eğitim Araştırma Hastanesi Enfeksiyon Hastalıkları Kliniği Örneği

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus strain (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infection that occurs with a wide range of symptoms. The best way to prevent and slow down infection is based on the assumption that we know the characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the disease it causes, and the way it spreads. This review has been prepared by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit of the Behçet Uz Children’s Education and Research Hospital in order to share the preparations and strategies to combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus together with other hospitals. What has been prepared in the clinic (physical arrangements, disinfection, regulations for the protection of employees from occupational infections, regulations for patients and companions) is explained under subheadings. The COVID-19 epidemic, which has affected the entire world and caused many people to die, requires the establishment of many new regulations in health services, including new ones to existing patient safety and infection control measures. The treatment and care for children and their families continued without interruption, with various arrangements made in the clinic in cooperation with the team, based on the guidelines updated frequently by the Ministry of Health, international literature, and experiences. Nurses who managed to communicate with children by wearing clothes that looked “like robots” (in the words of the children) used their existing knowledge and equipment in this process and gained new knowledge. It is thought that this review will be useful in guiding future developments of new information emerging during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Decreasing the Duration of Discharge Antibiotic Treatment Following Inpatient Skin and Soft Tissue Abscess Drainage.

Skin and soft tissue abscesses do not require prolonged systemic antimicrobial treatment following drainage. We aimed to decrease the duration of discharge antibiotic treatment to less than 5 days following inpatient incision and drainage of uncomplicated abscesses. A new treatment protocol that defined uncomplicated abscesses, as well as inclusion and exclusion criteria, was created to monitor the accurate duration of prescribed therapy at discharge. We implemented a treatment algorithm that takes into account the epidemiologic changes in microbial etiologies and the presence of systemic findings for patients after surgical incision and drainage. We used control charts to assess the impact of the interventions. Four hundred and eighteen patients were discharged following abscess drainage from our inpatient infectious diseases unit in 2016. The patients were 3 months to 21 years of age. Only 72 (17%) patients had prescribed discharge antibiotic treatment courses that were less than 5 days [range 0-31 days, median 8 days (IQR 6, 9)], and the average prescribed course at discharge was 8.6 days. During the study period, we significantly decreased the average duration of discharge antibiotics to 7.3 days in all patients (P = 0.0016, 95% CI: -2.1036 to -0.4964, difference of means -1.3). The discharge treatment duration of patients with uncomplicated abscess was shorter at 4.7 days [range 0-9 days, median 5 days, (IQR 3, 5)]. Prescription compliance to less than 5 days treatment course at discharge increased from the baseline of 17% to 42% overall. Standardizing definitions of uncomplicated skin and soft tissue abscesses was critical to the success of this project. In addition to possible improved treatment adherence and decreased side effects, our protocol led to decreased patient care costs with no documented changes in readmission rates.

Descriptive study of malaria cases in the paediatric population in a reference hospital in Valencia, Spain, between 1993 and 2015

IntroductionMalaria is considered to be the fourth leading cause of infant mortality after pneumonia, complications related to premature birth, and perinatal asphyxia. Material and methodsA retrospective and descriptive study of cases of malaria confirmed and treated by the Paediatric Infectious Diseases Unit (age lower than 15 years) at the La Fe Hospital, Valencia, over the period 1993–2015. ResultsA total of 54 cases of paediatric malaria were diagnosed in the period 1993–2015, with 51.8% of these occurring in males, and 46.2% of patients were aged below 5 years. The majority of children came from Equatorial Guinea (68.5%). Only 5.6% had received antimalarial prophylaxis. Plasmodium falciparum was found to be the causal species in 81.4% of cases. Seven patients (13%) presented with complicated malaria. The most widely used treatment was quinine, either alone or in combination with other drugs. Atovaquone/proguanil was used from 2010 onwards and was indicated in 20.3% of the patients. The combination of artesunate/piperaquine/dihydroartemisinin began to be used in 2013. No deaths or relevant side effects were reported, and the clinical response was favourable in all children (100%). ConclusionsMalaria is still a prevalent disease in our population, a consequence of immigration, and tourism to endemic countries. Malaria should be considered as a likely diagnosis in a febrile child who comes from, or has travelled to, an endemic region in the past year.

Acquired multidrug‐resistant Candida glabrata in Australia: a case report

AbstractBackgroundCandida glabrata is the second most common cause of candidaemia in Australia, and echinocandins remain the first‐line choice for empirical treatment. There have been increasing reports of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) C. glabrata worldwide. To date, there have been no documented cases of MDR C. glabrata in Australia. This paper describes a case of C. glabrata resistant to azole antifungals and echinocandins in Australia.Clinical detailsA 47‐year‐old male was admitted for management of acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) of the gastrointestinal tract on Day 129 after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. On Day 38 of admission, the patient developed C. glabrata candidaemia that was susceptible to echinocandins but resistant to azole antifungals. The patient received a 17‐day course of intravenous (IV) caspofungin with subsequent negative blood cultures. However, on Day 67, the patient again developed C. glabrata candidaemia that now exhibited resistance to echinocandins and azole antifungals.OutcomesThe patient was commenced on liposomal amphotericin B (3 mg/kg, IV, daily) by the infectious diseases unit. A literature search by the pharmacist prompted a recommendation of a dose increase to 5 mg/kg, IV, daily given this isolate had a high minimum inhibitory concentration of 1 microgram/mL. Liposomal amphotericin B continued for 14 days with no further positive blood cultures. Unfortunately the patient died on Day 92 of admission secondary to severe treatment‐refractory GVHD.ConclusionThis case highlights a case of MDR C. glabrata in Australia, which is of concern given the recommended empirical use of echinocandins for candidaemia.

6. The Stillness after the storm: a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic case of adult-onset Still’s disease

6. The Stillness after the storm: a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic case of adult-onset Still’s disease

Paediatric Virology and innovation in medical education: An interview with Dr Ioannis N. Mammas, Consultant Paediatrician on the island of Euboea (Greece) and Coordinator of the Paediatric Virology Study Group.

Born in Chalkida in Greece, Dr Ioannis N. Mammas, Consultant Paediatrician on the island of Euboea, studied Medicine at the University of Crete School of Medicine, where he received his MD in 2002 and his PhD in Clinical Virology in 2006. He was trained in Paediatrics and Neonatology in Merseyside (UK), attending the ‘Alder Hey’ Children's Hospital's specialty training (ST) rotation programme and in Athens (Greece) at the ‘Penteli’ Children's Hospital and the ‘MAKKA’ Paediatric Infectious Diseases (PID) Unit of the ‘Aghia Sophia’ Children's Hospital. On October 10th, 2015, he presented the Paediatric Virology subspecialty's proposal, which up-to-date has attracted the critical interest of several international experts in the scientific fields of Neonatology, Paediatrics, PID and Virology and has been evaluated as a unique project of innovation in medical education. According to Dr Mammas, Paediatrics is the specialty, which daily provides the opportunity to support with responsibility the children's smile, the hope of life and future. He highlights the significant role of the Paediatric Virology Study Group (PVSG), a paediatric think tank, which was established by a group of paediatric trainees and young paediatricians in 2007 and since then has been involved with enthusiasm in the perspectives of Paediatric Virology in medical education. Dr Mammas strongly believes that in the future, Paediatric Virology subspecialists will have a strategically principal role, both clinical and academic, at the fight against viral infections in childhood. This aim will be supported by the newly founded Institute of Paediatric Virology (IPV), the first scientific initiative in the world committed to medical education on neonatal and paediatric viral infections.

Measles in adults: A comparison of hospitalised HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.

Although measles is traditionally a childhood illness, there are an increasing number of adult cases. Despite both measles and HIV infection being endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, there are little data regarding outcomes in co-infected patients. Compare demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiographic features, as well as outcome (length of hospital stay, complications and mortality) between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected adult patients admitted with confirmed measles. We conducted a retrospective record review of adult patients with confirmed measles who were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital during the peak of the 2009 and 2010 South African measles outbreak. The data collected included demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, as well as outcomes. Of the 33 confirmed measles cases admitted, 24 patients were tested for HIV infection and 18 tested seropositive. There were no significant differences in the demographics, clinical findings or laboratory data when comparing the HIV-positive and HIV-negative cases. Serious clinical manifestations were seen more frequently in HIV-positive patients (odds ratio [OR] 5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48-51.8, p = 0.34). One of the six patients testing HIV-negative developed pneumonia, while six of the 18 HIV-positive patients had a course complicated by pneumonia. Five of these HIV-positive patients required admission to the intensive care unit, three developing respiratory failure necessitating mechanical ventilation. HIV-positive patients had several other manifestations, including acute kidney injury, purulent conjunctivitis, pancreatitis and encephalitis. HIV-positive patients had a significantly longer hospital stay (p = 0.03). There were three deaths in the HIV-positive group, but none in the HIV-negative group (OR 2.9, 95% CI 0.13-65.3, p = 0.55). Our study provides data on the largest series of hospitalised adults infected with HIV and co-infected with measles. More severe consequences seemed to occur in hospitalised HIV-positive patients.

Specific precautions: experiences of hospitalized patients

To know the perception, meanings and repercussions of specific precautions for hospitalized patients. Qualitative study with qualitative clinical methodology according to the vulnerability theoretical reference. The semi-directed interview and the Bardin content analysis were used. Identification of three thematic units: (1) guidelines received, in which there was lack of information and misunderstandings about the reason for precautionary implementation; (2) perceptions about private rooms, there with both positive and negative perceptions; and (3) stigma related to the isolation condition, given patients felt constraint for being in a unit of infectious diseases and fear of being separated from the others. Situations of vulnerability were evidenced, both related to hospitalization and feelings aroused. The study can contribute to health services by broadening their vision beyond infection control.

A prospective pharmacovigilance study in the infectious diseases unit of a tertiary care hospital.

The frequency, causality, severity, preventability and risk factors of ADRs (adverse drug reactions) in infectious disease units are not well defined in the literature. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of the ADRs encountered in an infectious disease unit of a tertiary teaching hospital. The patients who were admitted to the infectious disease unit of a tertiary teaching hospital longer than 24 hours between January and December of 2016 were followed prospectively. Patients were observed and questioned for any sign of ADRs. The proportion of ADRs and patient characteristics were investigated. Causality was evaluated by the Naranjo algorithm, severity was determined using the Hartwig classification, and preventability was assessed using the Schumock and Thornton scale. 210 patients were admitted to the unit during the study period, of whom 44 patients (20.9%) experienced 51 ADRs. 5.9% of ADRs were found to be serious according to the Hartwig severity classification. In addition, 88.1% of ADRs were not preventable. The most frequently detected ADR was skin and subcutaneous tissue reactions (33.3%), and systemic antimicrobials were the most common type of drugs that caused an ADR. Prolonged hospitalization (p < 0.001) and usage of an increased number of drugs (p < 0.001) were found to be significant risk factors for ADR development. Prolonged hospital stay and polypharmacy are significant risk factors that increase the incidence of ADRs in infectious disease units. The likelihood of unavoidable ADRs should arouse the attention of clinicians when prescribing antimicrobials.

Alexithymia Predicts Carotid Atherosclerosis, Vascular Events, and All-Cause Mortality in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients: An Italian Multisite Prospective Cohort Study.

BackgroundPsychological factors (PFs) are known predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in many clinical settings, but data are lacking for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We carried out a prospective study to evaluate (1) psychological predictors of preclinical and clinical vascular disease and (2) all-cause mortality (ACM) in HIV patients.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data to evaluate the predictors of carotid plaques (CPs) and a prospective analysis to explore predictors of vascular events (VEs) and ACM over 10 years. Human immunodeficiency virus patients monitored at the Infectious Disease Units of 6 Italian regions were consecutively enrolled. Traditional CVD risk factors, PFs (depressive symptoms, alexithymia, distress personality), and CPs were investigated. Vascular events and ACM after enrollment were censored at March 2018.ResultsA multicenter cohort of 712 HIV-positive patients (75.3% males, aged 46.1 ± 10.1 years) was recruited. One hundred seventy-five (31.6%) patients had CPs at baseline. At the cross-sectional analysis, alexithymia was independently associated with CPs (odds ratio, 4.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.90–8.50; P < .001), after adjustment for sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables. After an average follow-up of 4.4 ± 2.4 years, 54 (7.6%) patients developed a VE, whereas 41 (5.68%) died. Age, current smoking, hypertension, and alexithymia (hazard ratio [HR], 3.66; 95% CI, 1.80–7.44; P < .001) were independent predictors of VE. Likewise, alexithymia was an independent predictor of ACM (HR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.65–9.0; P = .002), regardless of other clinical predictors.ConclusionsThe present results validate our previous monocentric finding. Alexithymia may be an additional tool for the multifactorial assessment of cardiovascular risk in HIV.

Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index trajectories in HIV‐infected patients treated with different first‐line antiretroviral regimens

To describe the trajectories of the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index in a cohort of HIV-1 infected patients during their first-line antiretroviral (ART) regimen. Retrospective analysis of naïve patients who started ART from 2007 at the Infectious Diseases Unit of the San Raffaele Hospital, Milan. We included patients treated with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs, tenofovir, abacavir, lamivudine or emtricitabine), and one anchor drug (ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor [PI/r], non-NRTI [NNRTI], or integrase strand transfer inhibitor [InSTI]), and with HOMA-IR assessed both before and after the start of ART. Univariate and multivariate mixed linear models estimated HOMA-IR changes during ART. Among 618 patients included in the study, 218 received InSTI-, 210 PI/r-, and 190 NNRTI-based regimens. Median follow-up was 27.4 (16.3-41.2) months. Adjusted mean change in HOMA-IR index was significantly higher (P = .041) in patients treated with InSTI-based regimens [0.160 (95% CI: 0.003-0.321) units per year] compared with NNRTI-based regimens [-0.005 (95% CI: -0.184-0.074) units per year]; no difference was observed between patients treated with NNRTI- and PI/r-based regimens or between INSTI-based and PI/r-based regimens. InSTI-based first-line ARTs were independently associated with greater increases in HOMA-IR index.

Epidemiologic Profile of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Between 2010 - 2016 in an Endemic Area of Fars Province, South Iran

Background: Leishmaniasis contains a group of zoonotic diseases that is caused by infected phlebotomine sandflies with flagellate protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine some epidemiological aspects of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis referring to Marvdasht health center, Fars Province, Iran. Methods: Demographic and clinical data of all patients recorded in Marvdasht Health Center, the Infectious Diseases Unit from 2010 to 2016. Results: 7418 confirmed cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis referred to health centers for receiving treatment. The mean age of the patients was 32.9 ± 26.9 year and the incidence of disease in men was higher than women. The age group was 21 to 30 years old (22.9%) had the most cases. The average duration of exposure to detection of the disease was 4.9 ± 1.38 months. The prevalence of wet lesions was significantly higher than dry lesions, and the average size of the lesions was 4.27 cm. The average number of lesions was 1.58 per person, and most of them were in hands (39.6%) and feet (21.4%). The incidence of disease was higher in the autumn than other seasons and it occurred more in rural areas. Conclusions: Marvdasht city is an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Our results showed that the number of cases reported has fluctuated in recent years. Therefore, it is very important for the health system to implement an accurate and effective continuous monitoring strategy for this important vector-borne disease in this part of the country.