Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis by photodynamic therapy.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous leishmaniasis represents a common health problem and standard treatments are often ineffective or yield poor cosmetic results.


OBJECTIVE
We compared the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with paromomycin sulfate in 10 lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis.


METHODS
Five lesions were treated by PDT with Metvix (Photocure, Oslo, Norway) and 75 J/cm(2) red light. PDT was performed twice weekly and, after 12 weeks, once weekly. The other 5 lesions were treated with paromomycin sulfate once daily. All nonresponding lesions of the paromomycin-treated plaques finally also underwent PDT.


RESULTS
All 5 lesions treated by PDT and 2 of the paromomycin sulfate-treated plaques were clinically and histologically Leishmania free. Three lesions with poor response to paromomycin sulfate finally responded to subsequent PDT. Ten months after therapy there was no recurrence, and cosmetic outcome after PDT was excellent.


CONCLUSIONS
PDT may be an effective therapeutic alternative in cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Gardlo
Kerstin
K
Department of Dermatology at Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. kerstin.lang@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
Horska
Zuzana
Z
Enk
Claes David
CD
Rauch
Lucie
L
Megahed
Mossad
M
Ruzicka
Thomas
T
Fritsch
Clemens
C
D000328:Adult; D000563:Amebicides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000563:Amebicides; D009824:Ointments; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C475457:methyl 5-aminolevulinate; D010303:Paromomycin; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid