Many faces of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is known for its clinical diversity and increasing numbers of new and rare variants of the disease are being reported these days.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this descriptive study was to look for and report the atypical presentations of this common disease occurring in Pakistan.


METHODS
The study was carried out in three hospitals (MH, Rawalpindi; PAF Hospital, Sargodha; and CMH, Muzaffarabad) from 2002 to 2006. Military and civilian patients of all ages, both males and females, belonging to central and north Punjab province and Kashmir were included in the study. Clinical as well as parasitological features of cutaneous leishmaniasis were studied. The unusual lesions were photographed and categorized accordingly using simple descriptive statistics.


RESULTS
Out of 718 patients of cutaneous leishmaniasis, 41 (5.7%) had unusual presentations. The commonest among unusual morphologies was lupoid leishmaniasis 14 (34.1%), followed by sporotrichoid 5 (12.1%), paronychial 3 (7.3%), lid leishmaniasis 2 (4.9%), psoriasiform 2 (4.9%), mycetoma-like 2 (4.9%), erysipeloid 2 (4.9%), chancriform 2 (4.9%), whitlow 1 (2.4%), scar leishmaniasis 1 (2.4%), DLE-like 1 (2.4%), 'squamous cell carcinoma'-like 1 (2.4%), zosteriform 1 (2.4%), eczematous 1 (2.4%), verrucous 1 (2.4%), palmar/plantar 1 (2.4%) and mucocutaneous 1 (2.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
In Pakistan, an endemic country for CL, the possibility of CL should be kept in mind while diagnosing common dermatological diseases like erysipelas, chronic eczema, herpes zoster, paronychia; and uncommon disorders like lupus vulgaris, squamous cell carcinoma, sporotrichosis, mycetoma and other deep mycoses.
Bari
Arfan Ul
AU
Department of Dermatology, Combined Military Hospital, Muzaffarabad, AJK, Pakistan. albariul@yahoo.com
Rahman
Simeen Ber
SB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*