Systematic Review: Re-emergence of human leishmaniasis in the Balkans

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To provide an updated overview of the leishmaniasis epidemiology in the Balkans, as this region presents “blank space” on the map of leishmaniasis knowledge in Europe. METHODS: Following the PRISMA guideline, literature on the presence and circulation of human leishmaniasis in Balkan countries was screened in PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Matica Srpska Library and the National Library of Serbia. RESULTS: Sixty nine publications from 1919 until September 2020 were reviewed. Historical records indicate that leishmaniasis was previously present mainly in the southern parts of the Balkans, while newer data demonstrate its northward spread. CONCLUSIONS: Human leishmaniasis is re-emerging in the Balkans and in some areas is already widespread.