Ann Dermatol.  2013 Feb;25(1):80-83. 10.5021/ad.2013.25.1.80.

New World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Treated with Intralesional Injection of Pentavalent Antimony

• Shin JY
• Lee YB
• Cho BK
• Park HJ

• KMID: 2265975
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2013.25.1.80

Abstract

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a skin infection caused by the Leishmania species, an intracellular protozoan parasite that is transmitted by various species of female sandflies. According to the geographic distribution and vectors, leishmaniasis is classified as Old World or New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. In Korea, 24 cases of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis have been reported, but New World cutaneous leishmaniasis has not been reported as yet. A 37-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of a painful and erythematous nodule with two satellite papules on the left postauricular area and a papule on the left arm after traveling to the Amazon region in Brazil. After we performed skin biopsies of the lesions, diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis was made by the histopathological findings. After intralesional injection of sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R), GlaxoSmithKline) twice a week for 4 weeks, the lesions improved with scarring. Herein, we discuss this case of New World cutaneous leishmaniasis that was successfully treated with intralesional injection of sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R)) in Korea.

Keyword

Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis; Sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R))

MeSH Terms

Antimony
Antimony Sodium Gluconate
Arm
Biopsy
Brazil
Cicatrix
Female
Humans
Injections, Intralesional
Korea
Leishmania
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous
Parasites
Psychodidae
Skin
Antimony
Antimony Sodium Gluconate

Figure

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  Fig. 1 (A) A solitary, painful, and erythematous nodule with two satellite papules on the left postauricular area and (B) a papule on the left upper arm.

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  Fig. 2 Histopathological findings show numerous Leishman-Donovan bodies (arrows) in the cytoplasm of macrophages (A: H&E stain, ×400; B: Giemsa stain, ×400).

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  Fig. 3 Histopathological findings show chronic granulomatous inflammation and no evidence of Leishman-Donovan bodies (A: H&E stain, ×100; B: H&E stain, ×400).

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  Fig. 4 Skin lesions at 3 months after treatment (A) on left postauricular area and (B) left arm.

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