Localized mucosal leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum mimicking cancer in the rhinolaryngeal region

Int J Infect Dis. 2016 Sep:50:54-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2016.08.003. Epub 2016 Aug 8.

Abstract

The clinical, microbiological, and histopathological findings of six patients with mucosal leishmaniasis are reported. Five of these patients were Spanish with no history of travel abroad, while the other was from Bolivia but had lived in Spain for more than 5 years. Two patients had no underlying disease, while the other four had several other medical conditions. Lesions were located in the nose in three patients and in the larynx in the other three. Symptoms included difficulty in swallowing, nasal obstruction, dysphonia, and polypoid lesions mimicking cancer. The diagnosis was based on the identification of parasites, or on PCR assay or culture. Five patients were treated with liposomal amphotericin B and the other with antimonial compounds.

Keywords: Cancer; Culture; Giemsa; Leishmania infantum; Mucosal leishmaniasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Amphotericin B / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Larynx / parasitology*
  • Leishmania infantum / genetics
  • Leishmania infantum / isolation & purification*
  • Leishmania infantum / physiology
  • Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / drug therapy
  • Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / parasitology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / parasitology
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Nose / parasitology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spain

Substances

  • Amphotericin B