Akuffo, RichardSanchez Herrero, CarmenChicharro, CarmenCarrillo, EugeniaAttram, NaikiMosore, Mba-TihssommahYeboah, ClaraKotey, Nana KonamaBoakye, DanielRuiz-Postigo, Jose-AntonioMoreno, JavierWilson, MichaelSarfo, BismarkAnto, Francis2022-03-282022-03-282021-05PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 May 24;15(5):e0009416.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/13843Background: leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common type of leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania. In Ghana, some studies in the Volta region have detected Leishmania parasites among persons with skin ulcers. Methodology/Principal findings: Using a cross-sectional study design, the prevalence of CL in three communities of the Oti Region of Ghana was investigated. Demographic and epidemiological data were obtained by a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. A total of 426 (12.4%) out of 3,440 participants screened had at least one skin ulcer. Of 595 skin ulcers sampled and tested by PCR for Leishmania infection, 150 (25.2%) ulcers from 136 individuals tested positive, accounting for an overall CL prevalence of 31.9% among persons with skin ulcers. Individual community CL prevalence of 23.2%, 29.8%, and 36.8% was observed in Ashiabre, Keri, and Sibi Hilltop respectively among persons with skin ulcers. Conclusions/Significance: Confirmation of CL in the study area suggests an active cycle of transmission of Leishmania infection. The observation of skin ulcers which tested negative to Leishmania infection suggests a need to test for additional causes of skin ulcers such as Treponema pallidum pertenue and Mycobacterium ulcerans in the study area.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Cutaneous LeishmaniasisGhanaLleishmaniasisTropical diseaseParasitesAtribución 4.0 Internacional34029326155e000941610.1371/journal.pntd.00094161935-2735PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseasesopen access