Role of neutrophils in cutaneous leishmaniasis

Neutrophils are always present in the cytomorphologic process of leishmaniasis but their role is still not fully understood. Microscopic examination was done on smears from 56 cases of clinically diagnosed cutaneous leishmaniasis. Neutrophils were the predominant cells in the smear (> 35% of the total cell count including neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes) in 7% of cases, a minority (10%-35% of total cells) in 36% of cases and rare (< 10% of total cells) in 57% of cases. Microscope images confirmed that neutrophils appeared to have an important role in leishmania elimination through phagocytosis of amastigotes in the later stages of the disease process.