title: Cutaneous leishmaniasis during pregnancy: exuberant lesions and potential fetal complications.
abstract: Cutaneous leishmaniasis affects millions of people worldwide. After observations of atypical lesions in pregnant women at the health centers of Corte de Pedra, Brazil, 9 years of records were reviewed, and 26 pregnant patients were identified. A retrospective case-control study revealed that lesions in pregnant women were much larger than those in nonpregnant patients in an age- and sex-matched group (mean area, 6.08 cm2 vs. 1.46 cm2; P=.008), and many lesions had an exophytic nature. Despite foregoing treatment until after delivery, response to pentavalent antimony therapy was favorable (rate of cure with 1 course of treatment, 85%). High rates of preterm births (10.5%) and stillbirths (10.5%) were reported. Cutaneous leishmaniasis during pregnancy produces distinct lesions and may have adverse fetal effects.
authors.affiliation: Division of International Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. djm2008@nyp.org
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Luiz H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Guimaraes
authors.forename: Paulo R L
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Argemiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Oliveira
authors.forename: Roque P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Ednaldo L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Lago
authors.forename: Daniela R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Wagner L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.forename: Walderez O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.forename: Edgar M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000635:transmission; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies