Short report: Epidemiologic studies on cutaneous leishmaniasis in eastern Panama

The Panamanian Ministry of Health, through the Interamerican Development Ba nk, contracted the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory to conduct epidemiologic stud ies on leishmaniasis and malaria in eastern Panama from July 1984 through J une 1985. Preliminary results of the biomedical and entomologic teams inves tigating the epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the eastern part of the country are presented in this short report. The principal findings of the study revealed 1) a large disparity in the incidence and prevalence of the disease among the five communities investigated; 2) the appearance of s elf-cures without the benefit of effective treatment; 3) a relatively high percentage of subclinical cases; and 4) determination of the sandfly vector species for each community. Also reported here is a case of a double infec tion with two distinct species of Leishmania, L. mexicana and L. amazonensi s in a single individual.