Isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient: successful treatment with surgery

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Parasitology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Leishmania species typically cause visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis.
• Laryngeal involvement by Leishmania is uncommon, often associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
• Standard treatment for leishmaniasis involves antimonials.

Observation:

• A rare case of isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis was observed.
• The patient was a 47-year-old male with a history of childhood visceral leishmaniasis.
• The patient was not immunocompromised (no HIV).

Findings:

• The isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis in this non-immunocompromised patient was successfully treated with surgery.
• This case highlights a presentation of leishmaniasis outside of typical patterns.
• Surgical cure was achieved without systemic antimonial therapy.

Implications:

• Surgical management is a viable option for isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis, even in non-HIV patients.
• This case expands the known clinical spectrum of leishmaniasis.
• Further research may explore alternative or adjunctive treatments for laryngeal leishmaniasis.