Cutaneous Leishmania aethiopica diagnosed in the United States

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection caused by certain Leishmania spp and is endemic in the New world (Central and South America) and Old World (Africa and the Middle East) where it is transmitted via sandflies of the Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia species. We describe a case of a 61-year-old woman who presented with an asymptomatic red-brown papule on her lower back approximately one year after returning to the United States from a trip to Ethiopia and Cameroon. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on the biopsy material and identified Leishmania aethiopica. This case highlights an atypical location and demonstrates how to accurately diagnose and treat this parasitic infection.