A rare case of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient from sub-Himalayan India

Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) is a rare variant of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) characterised by multiple (≥10), widespread, slowly progressive, cosmetically disfiguring, non-ulcerating nodules without visceral involvement. The disease is resistant to chemotherapy and characterized by relapses. We present a rare case of a patient with DCL who had extensive lesions (282) and who was HIV negative from a new focus of leishmaniasis in sub-Himalayan India. A favourable response with a regression of the lesions was observed after a month of treatment with intravenous and intralesional sodium stibogluconate with oral pentoxiphyline. Familiarity with such exceptional cases in immunocompetent individuals may facilitate diagnosis and a promising treatment outcome.