Spatial Analysis of Different Clinical Forms of Leishmaniasis in Honduras from 2009 to 2016

Leishmaniasis is a tropical and subtropical disease caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania, primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of sandflies. This neglected disease poses a serious global health challenge due to its spectrum of clinical manifestations, which can lead to potentially fatal outcomes. In Honduras, four clinical forms of leishmaniasis are present: ulcerative cutaneous leishmaniasis (UCL), mucosal leishmaniasis (ML), non-ulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis (NUCL), and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This study aims to identify spatial patterns of these four clinical forms of the disease in Honduras, utilizing epidemiological data from 2009 to 2016. Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis was employed for spatial assessment. Moran’s I was used to evaluate the data and reveal patterns, while Hot Spot Analysis identified statistically significant spatial clusters of high and low values. For UCL and NUCL, all Global Moran’s I p-values were below 0.001 throughout the study period. For VL, p-values were under 0.001 in 2010, 2013, and 2016. For ML, p-values were below 0.05 in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2015. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate geographical segregation among the different clinical forms of leishmaniasis.