Leishmaniasis Flashcards
What kind of organism causes leishmaniasis
Obligate intracellular protozoan parasites
What are the predisposing factors for leishmaniasis
Chronic san fly exposure
Poverty
Proximity to dogs, cats, rodents
What is the vector for leishmaniasis transmission?
Sand Fly
San Flea
What is the most common manifestation of leishmaniasis
Cutaneous leishmaniasis
What is the incubation period or leishmaniasis
2 weeks to several months
What is the normal presentation of a normal san fly bite?
Sand fly bites are pruritic but do not enlarge and resolve after several weeks
How do infections of cutaneous leishmaniasis present
- Begin as a pink colored papule that enlarges to a nodule / plaque like lesion
- Lesion ulcerates with indurated border and may have thick white-yellow fibrous material
- Lesions are often painless
Cutaneous leishmaniasis, Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, or Visceral leishmaniasis
Which are lethal
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and Visceral leishmaniasis
What should cause high suspicion of cutaneous leishmaniasis
Chronic non healing skin lesions on patients who have traveled to endemic areas
What is needed for the diagnostic confirmation of leishmaniasis
leishmaniasis parasite DNA in infected tissue, through microscopic examination of stained specimens, culture techniques, or molecular methods
What is required as the first line intervention for leishmaniasis
Ulcer should be debrided and kept clean to avoid secondary infections from developing.
- Bandage & wrapped to avoid further wound contamination
What is oral medication is FDA approved for the treatment of leishmaniasis
Miltefosine
What is the treatment of choice for visceral leishmaniasis
Amphotericin B deoxycholate
What medications might have merit for treating selected cases of leishmaniasis, but the FDA approved indications do not include leishmaniasis
Amphotericin B Deoxycholate
Antimonials
Ketoconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole
