[Unilateral erythema nodosum and homolateral cutaneous leishmaniasis]

The authors wanted to report an uncommon etiology of erythema nodosum.

A 45-year-old woman presented with numerous encrusted nodular lesions on the left leg and arm. Leishmania was identified after a parasitological examination. Subcutaneous erythematous nodules developed later on the same leg. Erythema nodosum was diagnosed with a biopsy of the nodules. The patient was treated with systemic meglumine 60 mg/kg per day for 13 days. All lesions improved under treatment.

This was the first reported case of unilateral erythema nodosum with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Clinical and laboratory exams were in the range of normal and led the authors to exclude common causes of erythema nodosum. Subcutaneous nodules occurred before the beginning of treatment with meglumine. Thus, drug allergy (previously reported) was excluded as an etiology of EN.