Mucosal leishmaniasis: epidemiological and clinical aspects.
Leishmaniasis has been documented in several countries, with an estimated prevalence of 12 million people and an incidence at around 400,000 new cases per year. Leishmaniasis in the New World is one the major endemic diseases in Brazil and Latin America.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to add to the current knowledge on mucosal leishmaniasis, bringing the experience of the Immunology and Otolaryngology Departments in the Professor Edgar Santos University Hospital of the Federal University of Bahia.


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common form of New World Leishmaniasis; mucosal legions may occur simultaneously or after years of disease. Mucosal leishmaniasis is caused mainly by L. braziliensis braziliensis; although the nasal mucosa is the most affected area, lesions may be found on the lips, mouth, pharynx and larynx. In addition to parasite-related factors, the host immune response may be involved in the pathogenicity of lesions in mucosal leishmaniasis.
Miranda Lessa
Marcus
M
Associate researcher in the immunology and otorhinolaryngology units of the HUPES at the Federal University of Bahia. Doctor of sciences in otorhinolaryngology at FMUSP. Fellow in nasosinusal endoscopic surgery, Graz university, Austria. Electronic address: imuno@ufba.br.
Andrade Lessa
Hélio
H
Adjunct professor of otorhinolaryngology of the Medical School of the Federal University of Bahia. Head of the otorhinolaryngology unit of the HUPES.
Castro
Thomas W N
TWN
Medical resident in the otorhinolaryngology unit of the HUPES Federal University of Bahia.
Oliveira
Adja
A
Medical resident in the otorhinolaryngology unit of the HUPES Federal University of Bahia.
Scherifer
Albert
A
Adjunct professor of the biointeraction department of the Health Science Institute of the Federal University of Bahia.
Machado
Paulo
P
Associate researcher in the immunology unit of the HUPES at the Federal University of Bahia.
Carvalho
Edgar M
EM
Full professor in the internal medicine department of the Medical School of the Federal University of Bahia. Head of the immunology unit of the HUPES.
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007897:Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male