Leishmania mexicana infection of the eyelid in a traveler to Belize.
A 50 year-old man, a United States resident, presented in Texas with a violaceous non-ulcerating lesion, involving the entire lower eyelid. The patient had traveled to a jungle area of Belize several hours drive from the capital city. Leishmania mexicana was isolated. The lesion only partially resolved after an initial course of sodium stibogluconate, requiring retreatment. At two years of follow-up, there was no relapse. The parasite isolated from the patient caused a progressive, non-ulcerating lesion in an experimental mouse footpad infection. This is an unusual case of cutaneous leishmaniasis in a traveler. Travelers must be educated about personal protective measures to prevent exotic infections acquired during travel.
Vinetz
Joseph M
JM
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, San Diego School of Medicine, University of California, La Jolla, CA 92093-0649, USA. jvinetz@ucsd.edu
Soong
Lynn
L
D000818:Animals; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001531:Belize; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014195:Travel
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D017964:Itraconazole; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate