Visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia. II. Annual leishmanin transformation in a population. Is positive leishmanin reaction a life-long phenomenon?

A one-year follow-up leishmanin skin test was undertaken in 605 subjects aged five years and above. The point prevalence of leishmanin positivity in the selected age group was 46.8%; 62.5% of the males and 32.1% of the females showed positive leishmanin reactions. The annual incidence of skin test transformation was 14.8%. In this study, positive to negative leishmanin conversion was noted in 9.3% of study subjects with initial positive leishmanin reaction.