Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 28, 2025
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Dorsal Skin of Hamsters: a Useful Model for the Screening of Antileishmanial Drugs
Published on: April 21, 2012
Clinical Presentation and Response to Therapy in Children with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Carvel Suprien1, Paulo N Rocha2,1, Marina Teixeira3
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Insights
Children with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) present differently and may have higher therapeutic failure rates compared to adults. Early recognition of these differences is crucial for effective treatment.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
Background:
- Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is primarily caused by *Leishmania braziliensis* and predominantly affects adult males.
- Understanding age-related differences in CL presentation and treatment response is essential for optimizing patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the clinical presentation and response to antimony therapy for CL in children versus adults.
- To identify risk factors associated with therapeutic failure in pediatric and adult CL cases.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 571 patients with CL, including 129 children (age ≤ 12 years).
- Clinical presentation, duration of illness, lesion characteristics, and treatment outcomes (cure/failure at day 90) were analyzed.
- Statistical analysis was performed to identify risk factors for therapeutic failure, with a focus on age.
Main Results:
- Children exhibited shorter illness duration, more head lesions, and smaller ulcers compared to adults.
- Younger age, shorter disease duration, higher lesion count, and larger ulcer size were risk factors for therapeutic failure.
- Age ≤ 12 years predicted therapeutic failure significantly at day 60, but not at day 90.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in the clinical presentation of CL between children and adults.
- Physicians should anticipate potentially longer healing times and increased odds of therapeutic failure in children with CL.
- Alertness for higher therapeutic failure rates in pediatric CL cases is recommended.
Abstract:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania braziliensis occurs predominantly in adult males. Herein, we compare the clinical presentation and the response to antimony therapy of CL in children versus adults. Participants included 571 patients with CL; of these, 129 were children (age ≤ 12 years). Cure was defined as the complete healing of ulcer in the absence of raised borders at day 90 after initiation of therapy. Failure was defined by the presence of an active ulcer or a scar with elevated borders at day 90. In comparison with adults, children had shorter duration of illness, more lesions in the head, and smaller ulcers. Risk factors for therapeutic failure were younger age, shorter duration of disease, higher number of lesions, and larger size of the biggest ulcer. When age was categorized in ≤ 12-year-olds (children versus adults), it predicted therapeutic failure with statistical significance at day 60 but not at day 90. In conclusion, our data indicate that there are significant differences in the clinical presentation of CL between children and adults. Physicians caring for children with CL should be aware that lesions may take longer to heal and remain alert for the possibility of higher odds of therapeutic failure in this group.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
01:23Skin Diseases and Disorders
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...