Abstract

PEREZ, Carlos; YOANET, Solías  and  RODRIGUEZ, Gerzaín. Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in a patient with AIDS. Biomédica [online]. 2006, vol.26, n.4, pp.485-497. ISSN 0120-4157.

Objective: A patient with a leishmaniasis-Aids co-infection was presented and discussed.. Methods and results: A 29-year -old soldiier, coming from the Province of San José del Guaviare, Colombia, complained of a weight loss of 18 kgs in the previous ten months as well as a two-month-old cutaneous leision. Elisa and Western blot tests were positive for HIV infection. LT CD4 were 92/mm3. He had a generalized erythematous, psoriasiform dermal lesion,which, upon biopsy, revealed an abundance of phagocytosed microorganisms that stained black with Gomory’s technique. Disseminated histoplasmosis was diagnosed. The patient received anti-retroviral therapy and itraconazole, without regression of the lesions. Amphotericin B was beneficial but the lesions recurred several months later, more numerous, nodular and with occurrence in the oral mucosa. Nine months after the initial diagnosis additional skin biopsies and review of the previous biopsies established that the patient had diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. The leishmania parasite did not grow in culture. Miltefosine produced marked improvement, but the lesions recurred and were cured finally with 52 Glucantime® injections administered for two months. Presently, the patient remains in good condition 21 months after diagnosis of leishmaniasis. Conclusions: Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis may be a common clinical manifestation when leishmaniasis and AIDS co-occur. Its treatment is difficult and must include an antiparasitic drug as well as prophylactic,and anti-retroviral therapy. Leishmania amastigotes typically are not Gomory-positive and can be differentiated from Histoplasma by morphology, immunohistochemistry, culture, antibody-specific response and PCR. The leishmaniasis-AIDS co-infection enhances invasive capacity for both causal microorganisms. Increasing case numbers can be expected in Colombia, due to the high frequency of both diseases.

Keywords : leishmaniasis; diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis; leishmaniasis-AIDS co-infection; leishmaniasis and disseminated histoplasmosis; differential diagnosis; AIDS-related opportunistic infection; immunosuppression.

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