Korean J Ophthalmol.  2010 Feb;24(1):40-43. 10.3341/kjo.2010.24.1.40.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis of the Lid: A Report of Nine Cases

• Yaghoobi R
• Maraghi S
• Bagherani
• Rafiei A

• KMID: 1098792
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2010.24.1.40

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by Leishmania species and is classified into three forms; cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral. The eyelid is a rare site involved by leishmaniasis and only makes up 2.5% of cases with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Although CL can affect both upper and lower lids on either their outer or inner aspects, the lateral canthus is most often affected. The most common aspect of lid leishmaniasis is chalazion-like lesions but ulcerous, phagedenic, cancer-like forms, and unilateral chronic granulomatous blepharitis may be observed. When the lid is involved, the disease is usually self-limiting; healing usually takes up to one year, hence early diagnosis and treatment are important. The diagnosis is based on a high index of suspicion regarding the endemicity of the disease in the region. Response to treatment in lid CL cases is quite satisfactory. In this article, we report nine cases of lid leishmaniasis with satisfactory responses to intralesional meglumine antimoniate.

Keyword

Iran; Leishmaniasis; Unusual atypical lid

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Child
Eyelid Diseases/*parasitology
Eyelids/*parasitology
Female
Humans
Infant
Injections, Intralesional
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/*drug therapy
Male
Meglumine/*administration & dosage
Organometallic Compounds/*administration & dosage
Treatment Outcome

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Cutaneous lid leishmaniasis. (A) A 13-yr-old boy, as ulcerative lesion. (B) A 39-yr-old woman manifested as an erythematous plaque. (C) A 15-yr-old girl, chalazion-like. (D) A 12-yr-old boy manifested as chalazion. (E) A 7-yr-old girl manifested as chalazion. (F) A 30-yr-old man manifested as chronic granulomatous blepharitis. (G) A 7-yr-old girl, chalazion-like. (H) A 6-mon-old baby, eczema-like. (I) A 6-yr-old boy manifested as classic leishmaniasis.

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  Fig. 2 Typical amastigotes in a stained smear with Wright-Eosin-Methylene blue prepared from the margin of the lesions.

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