title: Successful treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with intralesional aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy.
abstract: Leishmaniasis is a protozoan infectious disease that often affects the skin and may acquire a chronic and difficult to treat course. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel treatment which involves the selective uptake of a photosensitizing agent. Exposure to an appropriate light source in the presence of oxygen leads to formation of reactive oxygen species and destruction of the target cells. We report on the successful treatment of a 69-year-old patient with a relapse of long-standing cutaneous leishmaniasis using intralesional aminolevulinic acid-PDT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. gevangelou@med.uoc.gr
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Evangelou
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krasagakis
authors.forename: Elpida
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giannikaki
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kruger-Krasagakis
authors.forename: Androniki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tosca
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid