NCT00487253.

Background Leishmania (Viannia) species are the principal cause of mucosal leishmaniasis. The natural history and pathogenesis of mucosal disease are enigmatic. Parasitological evaluation of mucosal tissues has been constrained by the invasiveness of conventional sampling methods. Methods We evaluated the presence ofLeishmania in the mucosa of 26 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis and 2 patients with mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Swab samples of the nasal mucosa, tonsils, and conjunctiva were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction with LV-B1 primers and Southern blot hybridization. Results Two patients with mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and 21 (81%) of 26 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis had Leishmania kinetoplast minicircle DNA (kDNA) in mucosal tissues. kDNA was amplified from swab samples of nasal mucosa from 14 (58%) of 24 patients, tonsils from 13 (46%) of 28 patients, and conjunctiva from 6 (25%) of 24 patients. kDNA was detected in the mucosa of patients with cutaneous disease caused by Leishmania panamensis, Leishmania guyanensis, and Leishmania braziliensis. Conclusion The asymptomatic presence of parasites in mucosal tissues may be common in patients with Leishmania (Viannia) infection.

American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) has been characterized as a zoonotic disease. However, peridomestic and domestic transmission have been recorded in at least nine countries in Central and South America. The present study was undertaken to identify the etiologic agent of a peridomestic epidemic of ACL in the Department of Tolima, Colombia. Leishmania isolates were obtained during the diagnosis of 56 patients with ACL who consulted the local leishmaniasis control program in three municipalities in Tolima. Species were identified using monoclonal antibodies and isoenzyme electrophoresis. A total of 53 (94.6%) of 56 isolates were identified as Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis. Three isolates (5.4%) were identified as L. (V.) panamensis. Leishmania (V.) guyanensis is the probable etiologic agent of the largest epidemic of cutaneous leishmaniasis recorded in Colombia. This species has not previously been reported outside the Amazon and southeastern regions of Colombia, and has not been described in the peridomestic setting or linked with an epidemic.

Se presenta el caso de un hombre de 74 años procedente del área rural de Caicedonia, Valle del Cauca, con diagnósticos de hipertensión arterial no controlada, insuficiencia renal crónica estadio IV y anemia grave. Tenía antecedentes de leishmaniasis cutánea en los párpados del ojo derecho, el pabellón auricular izquierdo y las extremidades, diagnosticada 15 años atrás en el departamento del Guaviare. Recibió tratamiento incompleto con antimoniales en esa época. Consultó al Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM) por un cuadro progresivo de ocho años de evolución de lesiones mucosas ulceradas en el labio superior, la mucosa nasal y los párpados del ojo derecho (figura 1). Se hizo un diagnóstico histopatológico de leishmaniasis, confirmado mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (figura 2). Debido a las enfermedades concomitantes del paciente, el tratamiento con antimoniales (Glucantime®) estaba contraindicado. Se administró tratamiento supervisado intrahospitalario con miltefosine (Impávido®, cápsulas de 50 mg) a una dosis diaria de 1,8 mg/kg por 28 días, de acuerdo con las guías nacionales. Se realizó control clínico y de laboratorio durante el tratamiento y después de finalizado, sin evidencia de ningún tipo de complicación. El paciente asistió a controles médicos hasta la octava semana después del tratamiento, en los cuales presentó mejoría clínica de las lesiones (figura 3). Se remitió para continuar el manejo complementario por medicina interna, oftalmología y cirugía plástica. La leishmaniasis mucocutánea es una grave complicación evitable de la leishmaniasis cutánea. Este caso muestra fallas en el diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos y, en general, en el programa de control de esta enfermedad. Por otra parte, el miltefosine surge como una opción terapéutica a los antimoniales para el tratamiento de pacientes en quienes estén contraindicados o presenten alto riesgo de toxicidad.Palabras clave: leishmaniasis cutánea, leishmaniasis mucocutánea, leishmaniasis/diagnóstico, leishmaniasis/terapia, reacción en cadena de la polimerasa Mucosal complication of cutaneous leishmaniasisA 74-year-old man from the rural area of Caicedonia, Valle del Cauca Province, was diagnosed with uncontrolled hypertension, stage IV chronic renal failure and severe anemia.Fifteen years earlier, while living in Guaviare Province, he was diagnosed with leishmaniasis-with lesions located on the right upper and lower eyelids, left auricle and limbs. At that time, he received an incomplete treatment with antimonials. The patient had experienced 8 years of progressive mucosal lesions located in the upper lip, nasal mucosa and right upper and lower eyelids (figure 1). A histopathological diagnosis of leishmaniasis was made and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (figure 2).Treatment with antimonials (Glucantime®) was contraindicated due to the patient's comorbidities. Inpatient supervised treatment with miltefosine (Impávido ® 50 mg capsules) was initiated according to the national guidelines of 1.8 mg/...

Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a rare cause of vertebral osteomyelitis in the developed world. Co-infections with other microorganisms are seldom reported in the literature. Here we report a case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Streptococcus anginosus causing acute on chronic vertebral osteomyelitis with an epidural abscess.