Abstract
Background: Leishmaniasis is caused by the flagellate protozoa of the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by the bite of female phelobotomine sand flies. Worldwide, an estimated 1.5 million cases of cutaneous Leishmaniasis occur annually. Although the disease showed remarkable decline in the prevalence during 1987 and 1990 in Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia, few studies had addressed the current status of the disease in recent times. The objective of this study was to determine the trends in reported incidence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia between 2007 and 2016.

Methods: The research design was descriptive, institutional-based study of the epidemiological trend of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis infection in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia using data from the surveillance database at the regional Vector Control Unit, Local Health Directorate; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Total enumerations of all records of patients registered and treated in King Khalid hospital, Majmaah during 2007-2016 were included in this study. The data were collected by a pre-tested checklist and analyzed by SPSS version 22.

Results: The age group 15-44 was mostly affected by Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (50.6%). Most patients were males (78.2%) and majority of the Saudi nationality (62.1%); farmers were mostly affected by the disease (28.7%) compared to other occupations. The reported incidence of the disease was 33:100000 populations in 2007 and reached its peak as 44:100000 populations in 2008 then started to decline with fluctuations to reach 4:100000 populations in 2016. During the first five years of the study (2007-2011), patients less than 15 years of age were 21(30.9%) while those 15 years of age and more were 47 (69.1%); the male and female patients were 82.4% and 17.6% respectively. During the second half of the study (2012-2016), patients less than 15 years of age were 4(21.1%) while those 15 years of age and more were 47 (69.1%); the male and female patients were 82.4% and 17.6% respectively.

Conclusion: The findings of this study concluded that the trends of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia declined during the past ten years. The disease was more prevalent among the older age group, the Saudis, and the male gender: However, the incidence of the disease among the females increased significantly during the last five years of the study.

Key words: Incidence, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL)