Lack of wet type lesions may be due to complete absence of Leishmania major in this area. This is in contrast to other areas of Pakistan where both dry and wet types of CL are present.

No abstract

Forty patients with a definite clinical diagnosis of segmental vitiligo (SV) were treated with 0.05% clobetasol propionate cream to the vitiliginous areas twice daily. Patients with any doubt regarding the type of vitiligo were not included. Twelve (30%) patients were 5–10 years, 19 (47.5%) were 11–20 years, six (15%) were 21–30 years, and three (7.5%) were 31–34 years of age. The duration of the disease ranged from 1 month to 12 years (mean, 16.3 months); 11 (27.5%) patients presented within 6 months, 13 (32.5%) from 6 to 12 months, nine (22.5%) from 12 to 18 months, and seven (17.5%) after 18 months of the onset of the disease. Eighteen (45%) patients were male and 22 (55%) were female. The face and/or neck were affected in 16 (40%), trunk in 17 (42.5%), and extremities in seven (17.5%) patients. Therapy was interrupted for 2 weeks after every 6‐week course, unless the severity of the side‐effects dictated longer or earlier intervals. Patients were assessed every 2 weeks. Treatment was stopped after two courses in those patients who did not show any signs of recovery during this period. The remaining patients received three courses of treatment. No adjuvant therapy was used.

One hundred and four patients with a clinical diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and a positive Giemsa‐stained smear for the parasite were recruited after informed consent into this randomized clinical trial, comparing the efficacy of weekly vs. fortnightly intralesional injections of meglumine antimoniate. Patients having more than five lesions and pregnant women were not included. The patients were randomly divided into two treatment groups. Patients in group A were treated with weekly and those in group B with fortnightly intralesional injections of meglumine antimoniate solution (each ampule of 5 mL containing 425 mg of the salt). A fine needle (0.40 × 13 mm) was used to inject the lesions. Each lesion was infiltrated from all sides until it had blanched. Generally, 1–2 mL of the solution was required for individual lesions depending upon their size. No adjuvant therapy was used. In both groups, the treatment was continued until complete cure or up to 8 weeks, whichever was earlier. Patients were followed up fortnightly for 2 months after cessation of therapy for any recurrence. Laboratory investigations, including complete blood count, serum urea and creatinine, urinalysis, and liver function tests, were carried out before and after treatment.