Leishmaniasis in the United States

Abstract

We treated ten cases of leishmaniasis caused by<i>Leishmania braziliensis</i>. The patients had been in an endemic area for ten days as part of a military exercise. The cutaneous lesions were chronic and unresponsive to antibiotic therapy. Treatment consisted of daily intramuscular injections of sodium stibogluconate, a pentavalent antimony compound, and serious side effects were not encountered. The diagnosis of leishmaniasis is usually easily made and should be considered in patients who have recently returned from endemic areas.