Reappraisal of Leishmanin Skin Test (LST) in the management of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A retrospective analysis from a reference center in Argentina

CANABIRE, MARIA; ESPINOSA, MARCO; QUIPILDOR, MARCELO; JUAREZ, MARISA; CAJAL, SILVANA PAMELA; KROLEWIECKI, ALEJANDRO JAVIER; CAJAL, SILVANA PAMELA; GIL, JOSÉ FERNANDO; GIL, JOSÉ FERNANDO; ESPINOSA, MARCO; ALMAZÁN, MARÍA CRISTINA; ALMAZÁN, MARÍA CRISTINA; QUIPILDOR, MARCELO; CANABIRE, MARIA; JUAREZ, MARISA; KROLEWIECKI, ALEJANDRO JAVIER

PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Lugar: San Francisco; Año: 2017

1935-2727

Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is the species most frequently implicated withcutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in the Americas; its diagnosis is based on the identification of amastigotes in lesions, which is limited by low parasite burden. Leishmanin Skin Test (LST) is a support tool for diagnosis, based on delayed typehypersensitivity responses to Leishmania antigens injected intradermally, used in endemic areas as a complement to diagnosis. A retrospective analysis of individuals evaluated for their first episode of tegumentary leishmaniasis at a reference center in Argentina during the period 2006 - 2015 was performed, with the goal of assessing its usefulness as a support tool in the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. Demographic, clinical and diagnostic work-up were analyzed in individuals with clinically compatible lesions,lesion`s smear and LST. A total of 733 cases that met the case definition were included in the analysis; 678 (93%) localized cutaneous cases, 50 (7%) with mucosal involvement and 5 (