{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:41:12Z","timestamp":1760060472722,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,3]],"date-time":"2025-09-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756857600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FONDO PUBLICALO"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by female sandflies of the genus Lutzomyia. Ecuador is divided into three distinct natural regions: the Andes, the Coast, and Amazonia, each characterized by significant variations in altitude and climate. While most reported cases of leishmaniasis are associated with humid, low-altitude rural areas, our study uncovered an unexpected trend: confirmed cases occurring in traditionally cold Andean regions. To investigate this issue, we conducted a cross-sectional ecological study using official morbidity and mortality records from the Ecuadorian Health Care Registration Platform, focusing on the cantons of Alaus\u00ed and Chunchi in Chimborazo Province from 2013 to 2022. Chimborazo Province, in the Andes, is characterized by higher altitudes (2740 m above sea level) and a cold climate (averaging 13 \u00b0C throughout the year). Among a population of 44,089 residents in Alaus\u00ed, we reported a total of 40 confirmed cases, with 97.5% classified as cutaneous and 2.5% as mucocutaneous, predominantly affecting children and males. No mortality cases were recorded during the study period. To further explore environmental influences, we examined the Alaus\u00ed region, where climate change has led to rising average temperatures, deforestation, and changes in humidity levels. Leishmaniasis cases in Alaus\u00ed showed seasonal peaks, particularly in 2018 and 2019, correlating with warmer and more humid conditions. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity were strongly associated with the prevalence of the disease, suggesting that climate change may be increasing transmission risks. These findings point to the value of incorporating environmental monitoring into public health strategies for vector-borne diseases that affect vulnerable populations in the Andes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed10090254","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,3]],"date-time":"2025-09-03T15:15:57Z","timestamp":1756912557000},"page":"254","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Morbidity and Mortality Profile of Leishmaniasis in an Andean Region of Ecuador in the Context of Climate Change"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1145-3748","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Enma Veronica","family":"P\u00e1ez-Espinosa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador"},{"name":"Center for Research on Health in Latin America (CISeAL) San Pedro, Quito 170170, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1795-1876","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Delia Maria","family":"Sosa-Guzm\u00e1n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luis Ren\u00e9","family":"Buitr\u00f3n-Andrade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health and Wellness, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicole","family":"D\u00e1vila-Jumbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mart\u00edn Israel","family":"C\u00e1ceres-Ruiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6098-8151","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vinicio Francisco","family":"Robalino-Flores","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Quito 170143, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Eug\u00e8nia","family":"Mato-Matute","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Networking Research Centre of Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), C\/Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"951","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)31204-2","article-title":"Leishmaniasis","volume":"392","author":"Burza","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mam.2016.11.012","article-title":"Leishmania infections: Molecular targets and diagnosis","volume":"57","author":"Akhoundi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mol. 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