Leishmaniasis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis, mexicana - lesion on the cheek

Leishmaniasis on the finger

Leishmania panamensis on the foot

Leishmania panamensis - close-up

Leishmaniasis

Alternative Names:

Kala-azar
Treatment:

Antimony-containing compounds are the principal medications used to treat leishmaniasis. These include:

meglumine antimonate
sodium stibogluconate

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Other drugs that may be used include:

pentamidine
amphotericin B

Plastic surgery may be required to correct disfigurement by destructive facial lesions (mucocutaneous leishmaniasis). Removal of the spleen (splenectomy) may be required in drug-resistant cases (visceral leishmaniasis).

Expectations (prognosis):

Cure rates are high with antimony compounds. Treatment should be accomplished before damage to the immune system occurs. Marked disfigurement may develop with mucocutaneous leishmaniasis.

Complications:

facial disfigurement
fatal infections resulting from damage to the immune system
hemorrhage

Calling your health care provider:

Contact your health care provider if you have been in an area endemic for Leishmania and may have been bitten by sandflies, and now have symptoms suggestive of leishmaniasis.