American cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Federal District

Abstract

In the present study, we report 11 cases of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) in patients living in the Federal District who had not left their area of residence for a period ranging from six months to two years before the onset of the disease. Six of the eleven patients live in the suburban town of Planaltina. All showed a positive Leishmanin intradermal reaction. Ten of them presented the parasite in their lesions. Leishmania (V) braziliensi was identified in the lesions of two patients by the monoclonal antibody method. Nine patients were treated with pentavalent antimoy and two with pentamidine. Relapse occurred in two cases after treatment with antimony. In view of the detection of vectors and infected patients in the Federal District, it is probable that Leishmania infection is occurring in Brasilia and its suburban areas.