Assessment of leishmaniasis notification system in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, 1990-1993

Using a capture-recapture method, this study evaluates the completeness of the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) surveillance system in four districts of S antiago del Estero province, Argentina, for the period 1990-1993. Four repo rting sources were evaluated: medical records kept by health facilities, in terviews conducted during a case-control study, and the national and provin cial levels of the leishmaniasis surveillance system (LSS). Using the captu re-recapture method it was estimated that 210 cases (95% confidence interva l [CI]: 202-218) of CL occurred in the four districts during the study peri od. Completeness of reporting to the leishmaniasis surveillance system at t he national level was estimated to be 44.8% (95% Cl: 43.2-46.4). The study results indicate that there is substantial underreporting within the LSS, a lthough it did show the appropriate secular trends. The reasons for under-r eporting and methods for addressing this problem are discussed.