Tegumentary leishmaniasis mimicking visceralization in a cirrhotic patient: atypical cutaneous lesions and local immunological features

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2020 Jan 27:53:e20190380. doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0380-2019. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) diagnosis is challenging due to the lack of a gold standard diagnostic tool. The diagnosis is significantly harder in regions where visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is also prevalent since immunological tests may present cross-reactivity. A cirrhotic patient from an endemic Brazilian region for TL and VL presented with atypical cutaneous lesions, a usual clinico-laboratory feature of VL (including a positive rk39 test result), but he was diagnosed with TL histopathologically; VL was ruled out by necropsy. Physicians working in co-prevalent areas should be aware of atypical features, unusual clinical course, and unexpected laboratory findings of leishmaniasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / complications
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / diagnosis
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / pathology*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / diagnosis*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / complications*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged