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. 2022 Jun;67(2):809-819.
doi: 10.1007/s11686-021-00510-4. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Neglected Tropical Diseases in Lebanon

Walid Alam  1   2 , Tala Mobayed  3 , Nour Younis  4 , Rana Zarif  4 , Nazih Bizri  5 , Hani Tamim  6 , Umayya Musharrafieh  7 , Abdul Rahman Bizri  8
Affiliations

Neglected Tropical Diseases in Lebanon

Walid Alam et al. Acta Parasitol. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Introduction: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are highly endemic and distributed within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, affecting an estimated 65 million people. Lebanon suffers from several NTDs as they are either endemic in the country or imported via expats residing in endemic regions, refugees, and foreign labor force. The Syrian crisis and the displacement of refugees to Lebanon have made the country the largest host of refugees per capita right after the Syrian crisis in 2011, peaking in the year of 2013. Additionally, foreign labor in Lebanon come from different countries in Africa and Asia that are endemic with certain NTDs. The Lebanese diaspora is approximately twice the number of those residing in the country and is distributed throughout the continents carrying the risk of importing new NTDs.

Materials and methods: A descriptive study about the prevalence of NTDs in Lebanon, their distribution, and factors contributing to spread was performed. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (LMPH) database regarding reportable transmissible diseases was reviewed for reportable NTDs between 2002 and 2020 in relation to age, gender, prevalence, and geographical distribution. The medical literature was searched using several engines looking for all reports about NTDs in Lebanon, those relevant to regions hosting Lebanese diaspora, and countries where the refugees and migrant workers came from.

Results: Only leishmaniasis, leprosy, echinococcosis, schistosomiasis, and rabies are mandatorily reportable NTDs by the LMPH. Additionally, case reports about fasciolosis, ascaridiosis, and Dengue were reported from Lebanon. The presence of the Syrian refugees in the country affected the prevalence of leishmaniasis and rabies. The most prevalent NTD in Lebanon is cutaneous leishmaniasis. The Lebanese diaspora reside mainly in South America, Africa, and in some Arab states known to be endemic with certain NTDs.

Conclusion: Little information is known about NTDs in Lebanon. The country is at an increased risk of experiencing several new NTDs due to refugee influx, foreign labor, economic crisis, and ever-growing number of Lebanese seeking work opportunities abroad. More information is needed to assess the true burden of NTDs in Lebanon and the future steps to contain and mitigate their effects.

Keywords: Lebanese Ministry of Public Health; Lebanon; Middle East; Neglected tropical diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number of Leishmania cases between 2002 and 2020 in Lebanon. Data from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Reported cases of hydatid cyst disease by the LMPH between 2002 and 2020
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Annual number of animal bites as reported to the LMPH
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
2020 estimates of the number of refugees per thousand in Lebanon distributed by nationality. Estimates obtained from the 2020 report by the UNHCR
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Estimates of the origin of migrant workers in Lebanon, done by Amnesty International. Note that this represents the percentage of 186,429 female workers and excludes workers without a permit
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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