title: Topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
abstract: Sixty-seven patients, 19 females and 48 males, 4-66 years old, suffering from lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis were treated topically with an ointment comprising 15% paromomycin sulfate and 12% methylbenzethonium chloride in white soft paraffin (P-ointment, U.K. patent GB117237A). After 10 days of treatment, twice daily, the lesions in 72% of the treated patients were free of parasites, 15% became free within an additional 20 days, without further treatment, and 13% failed to respond. Pigmentation developed in 18% of the treated lesions and inflammation of varying degree was associated with the treatment. These developments did not affect the clinical healing process which was generally completed in a period of 10-30 days after termination of treatment. In addition, 94% of the treated lesions healed with little or no scarring. No adverse clinical or laboratory side effects were observed except for a burning sensation at the site of treatment. Parasites isolated from patients who failed to respond to topical treatment were found to be susceptible to PR-MBCl in both in vitro infected macrophages and in vivo in experimentally infected BALB/c mice.
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001558:Benzethonium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D009824:Ointments; D001558:Benzethonium; D010303:Paromomycin; C005106:methylbenzethonium chloride