INTRALESIONAL THERAPY OF AMERICAN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS WITH PENTAVALENT ANTIMONY IN RIO-DE-JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AN AREA OF LEISHMANIA (V) BRAZILIENSIS TRANSMISSION

Background The drug of choice for leishmaniasis is pentavalent antimon y and different regimens are under continuous evaluation. The ideal th erapy should be simple, effective, and with no or minor side-effects, In this paper we have studied the efficacy of intralesionally applied antimony in New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods Seventy-four pa tients from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, and presenting with single u lcerative cutaneous lesions mainly located on the trunk or extremities were enrolled in the study. The drug employed was N-methyl glucamine (425 mg of Sb-v in each 5 ml ampoule). Each lesion was infiltrated wit h the drug at the four cardinal points in order to achieve complete bl anching. Results Of the 74 patients, 59 (80%) were healed after a 12-w eek interval, Extensive follow-up (up to 10 years) disclosed no relaps es or the development of mucosal lesions. Conclusions The aim of thera py in New World cutaneous leishmaniasis is the healing of the cutaneou s lesion and the prevention of late mucosal damage. Both conditions we re achieved with the treatment employed with no side-effects and a con siderable decrease in costs, In addition, the method is easy to apply in the field.