Cutaneous schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis coinfection: a case report

The polymorphic clinical presentations of schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis allow their inclusion in the differential diagnoses of several conditions. Although an overlap in distribution of these diseases has been reported in endemic areas, coinfection with cutaneous schistosomiasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis in the same patient is rare.

We report an unusual case of concomitant cutaneous schistosomiasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. Actions for the management and diagnosis were proposed.

A patient presented with cutaneous lesions on the abdomen and left elbow. The presence of degenerated ova of Schistosoma mansoni in the skin biopsy led to perform a complementary investigation with immunohistochemical techniques, rectal biopsy and abdominal ultrasonography. After the left elbow lesions had failed to improve after several weeks of standard treatment, a new biopsy was performed and led to diagnosis of another infection.

The patient lived in an endemic area for two infectious diseases (schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis). Biopsies revealed chronic granulomatous dermatitis. Degenerated S. mansoni eggs were found in the abdominal lesion and in a rectal biopsy specimen. Ultrasonography revealed hepatic involvement. Despite combination treatment with oxamniquine and praziquantel, a cutaneous lesion persisted on the left elbow; a new biopsy revealed amastigote forms of Leishmania. The patient was successfully treated with intramuscular and intralesional meglumine antimoniate.

The presence of a similar granulomatous infiltrate in lesions caused by the two different infectious agents led to a delay in the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis. This report serves as a warning of the unusual possibility of cutaneous schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis coinfection in an endemic area.