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Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Dorsal Skin of Hamsters: a Useful Model for the Screening of Antileishmanial Drugs
Published on: April 21, 2012
Many faces of cutaneous leishmaniasis
Arfan Ul Bari1, Simeen Ber Rahman
1Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Muzaffarabad, AJK, Pakistan. albariul@yahoo.com
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology
|January 12, 2008
Summary
This study identified unusual presentations of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Pakistan, with lupoid CL being the most common atypical form. Awareness of these diverse CL manifestations is crucial for accurate dermatological diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) presents with significant clinical diversity.
- Increasing reports of rare and novel CL variants necessitate further investigation.
- Pakistan is an endemic region where CL diagnosis can be challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document and analyze atypical clinical presentations of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Pakistan.
- To increase awareness of the varied morphologies of CL among healthcare professionals.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study conducted across three hospitals in Pakistan from 2002 to 2006.
- Inclusion of military and civilian patients of all ages and genders.
- Clinical and parasitological features of CL were assessed, with unusual lesions photographed and categorized.
Main Results:
- Out of 718 CL patients, 41 (5.7%) exhibited unusual presentations.
- Lupoid leishmaniasis was the most frequent unusual form (34.1%), followed by sporotrichoid (12.1%).
- Other rare morphologies included paronychial, lid, psoriasiform, mycetoma-like, and chancriform CL.
Conclusions:
- Cutaneous leishmaniasis can mimic various common dermatological conditions such as erysipelas, eczema, and herpes zoster.
- Atypical CL presentations may also resemble uncommon disorders including lupus vulgaris, squamous cell carcinoma, and deep mycoses.
- Clinicians in endemic areas should consider CL in the differential diagnosis of diverse skin lesions.
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