title: Cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis resembling borderline-tuberculoid leprosy: a new clinical presentation?
abstract: Both cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis are endemic in Northern Ethiopia. The different clinical presentations depend on the responsible organism and the host's immune response. Localized cutaneous leishmaniasis is the type most frequently seen. Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis is relatively rare and usually associated with mucous membrane involvement. Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis presents with multiple lesions, can be difficult to diagnose and responds less favourably to treatment. We report here 2 patients with unusual presentations of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis presenting with large hypopigmented skin lesions mimicking borderline-tuberculoid leprosy. To our knowledge this presentation has not been described before and may present difficulties in making a definite diagnosis in regions where both leprosy and cutaneous leishmaniasis are endemic. Lepromatous leprosy and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis are regularly confused, particularly when no skin smears for acid-fast bacillus or Leishman-Donovan bodies are performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty, IT-00153 Rome, Italy. federica.dx@gmail.com
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dassoni
authors.forename: Zerihun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Naafs
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morrone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005002:Ethiopia; D006801:Humans; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D007897:Leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015441:Leprosy, Tuberculoid / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate