Leishmaniasis in Tuscany (Italy): VIII. Human population response to leishmanin in the focus of Monte Argentario (Grosseto) and epidemiological evaluation.

A skin test survey carried out in the towns of Porto St. Stefano and Porto Ercole showed a total positivity rate of 15.3%. The progressive increase of positivity according to age was not uniform but similar for the two towns since the values concerning the last two age groups did not follow the general trend of the graph but were lower than expected. The possible causes of this phenomenon have been discussed. The absence of overt visceral leishmaniasis cases in recent years and the concomitant high prevalence of canine leishmaniasis have been considered in the light of the occurrence of infectious diseases and the increase of the nutritional levels in the local human population.