Auricular cutaneous leishmaniasis mimicking neoplastic disease.
OBJECTIVE
Leishmaniasis comprises a group of diseases transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies. There are three basic clinical forms of leishmaniasis: cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral. Leishmaniasis may mimic neoplastic lesions and other infectious diseases because of similar disease localisation, physical characteristics and histopathological findings.


METHODS
A 35-year-old man was referred to our clinic with a presumed diagnosis of angiolymphoid hyperplasia of the auricle; however, this lesion proved to be cutaneous leishmaniasis. The definitive diagnosis was reached by identifying the parasites on smears obtained from the lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
It should be borne in mind that cutaneous leishmaniasis presenting as isolated auricular lesions may mimic neoplasia. In the present case report, we discuss auricular cutaneous leishmaniasis and we review the relevant literature.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. ozgurtarkan@gmail.com
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Tarkan
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Çetık
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Uzun
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*