Leishmaniasis: Epidemiological Report of the Americas, No. 10 (December 2021)

Abstract

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) continues to support endemic countries in order to achieve the objectives of controlling and eliminating leishmaniasis as a public health problem in the Region, in accordance with the PAHO Disease Elimination Initiative: A Policy for an Integrated Sustainable Approach to Communicable Diseases in the Americas, the World Health Organization (WHO) Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases for 2021 to 2030 and the Plan of Action to Strengthen Leishmaniasis Surveillance and Control in the Americas 2017-2022. PAHO has provided support to endemic countries and together with them has implemented initiatives aimed at promoting prevention, surveillance, and control actions, with the aim of reducing morbidity, mortality and severe forms of the disease through access to early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and the reduction of contact between people and leishmaniasis vectors. This report presents a detailed analysis of cutaneous, mucosal, and visceral leishmaniasis data in the Region of the Americas for 2020 and includes a series of infographics with specific data on cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in endemic countries. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, active search activities, early detection and treatment of cases, as well as other field activities, have been reduced. Among the challenges facing the Region, we highlight the need for countries to resume activities and move forward with the diagnosis and treatment of cases of the different clinical forms of the disease. Furthermore, it is necessary to identify strategies for the follow-up and monitoring of cases, in order to achieve the targets of treating at least 90% of patients diagnosed with cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis, as well as reducing the lethality of visceral leishmaniasis to less than 50% in the Region.