Epidemiological characteristics of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Fars Province, Southern Iran: A registry-based study, 2020–2024

Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical parasitic disease endemic in many parts of Iran, and Fars Province is recognized as one of the most important foci. Timely and accurate epidemiological data are essential for effective disease control and prevention. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the demographic and clinical epidemiological status of CL in Fars Province between 2020 and 2024.Methods This retrospective registry-based surveillance study analyzed 12,183 laboratory-confirmed cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) recorded in the Fars Provincial Health Surveillance System between March 2020 and March 2024. Demographic, clinical, and parasitological variables including age, sex, occupation, nationality, place of residence, lesion count, anatomical location, and Leishmania species were extracted from the registry.Results The mean age was 30.02 ± 20.96 years (range: Conclusions Our findings reveal a disproportionate burden of reported CL cases among males and younger individuals, a substantial urban concentration of cases, and an increasing proportion of registry-recorded L. tropica cases among those with available species data. Shiraz and Marvdasht were identified as key transmission hotspots warranting immediate, targeted public health interventions. Collectively, these data offer a robust evidence base to guide resource allocation and stratified control efforts in high-risk areas.