title: Isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient: a case report.
abstract: Visceral leishmaniasis, a protozoan disease caused by Leishmania infantum, is endemic in the Mediterranean basin, especially southern and Tyrrhenian Italy. Its aetiological agent can also sporadically cause isolated laryngeal localization in at-risk patients (i.e., heavy smokers, immunocompromised patients). This rare localization is often pauci-symptomatic and thus can easily escape diagnosis. A case of isolated leishmaniasis limited to the left vocal cord in an immunocompetent Italian male without significant risk factors, randomly discovered upon histological examination, is described herein. We inquire how many patients affected by non-specific symptoms such as dysphonia and live in countries where Leishmania infantum infection is reported, could be truly affected by Leishmania spp infection.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Pubblica e Sicurezza Sociale, Sezione di Malattie Infettive, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tiseo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tosone
authors.forename: M C D
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scordino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mansueto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mesolella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parrella
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pennone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orlando
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007830:Larynx / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B