title: Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis: clinical markers in presumptive diagnosis.
abstract: Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis (ML) can lead to serious sequela; however, early diagnosis can prevent complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinical markers for the early diagnosis of ML.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series study of 21 cases of ML, which were evaluated through clinical interview, nasal endoscopy, biopsy and the Montenegro test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A skin scar and previous diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) were reported in 8(38%) patients, and 13(62%) of them denied having had previous CL and had no scar. Nasal/oral symptom onset until the ML diagnosis varied from 5 months to 20 years, mean value of 6 years. In the Montenegro test, the average size of the papule was 14.5 mm, which did not correlate with disease duration (p=0.87). The nose was the most often involved site and the extension of the injured mucosa did not correlate with disease duration. The parasite was found in 2 (9.52%) biopsy specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ML diagnosis was late. Finding the parasite in the mucosa, cutaneous scar and/or previous diagnosis of CL were not clinical markers for ML. ML diagnosis must be based on the Montenegro test, chronic nasal and/or oral discharge and histological findings ruling out other granulomatous diseases.
authors: Graduate Studies Program in Health Sciences: Infectology and Tropical Medicine, UFMG.
authors: João Luiz Cioglia Pereira
authors: JL
authors: Diniz
authors: Manoel Otávio da Rocha
authors: MO
authors: Costa
authors: Denise Utsch
authors: DU
authors: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D001706:Biopsy; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007897:Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers