Restricted outbreak of American tegumentary leishmaniasis with high microfocal transmission.

ALEJANDRO J. KROLEWIECKI; JOSE F. GIL; MARCELO QUIPILDOR; SILVANA P. CAJAL; CARLOS PRAVIA; MARISA JUAREZ; CARLOS VILLALPANDO; FABRICIO M. LOCATELLI; MARIANA CHANAMPA; GABRIELA CASTILLO; MARı´A F. ORESTE; CARLOS L. HOYOS; VANESA NEGRI; JULIO R. NASSER

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE

Año: 2013 vol. 88 p. 578 - 582

0002-9637

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in Salta, the northwestern province of Argentina. We describe an outbreak involving five recreational hunters whose exposure was limited to several hours in a residual patch of primary forest. All patients presented with typical cutaneous lesions after a mean incubation period of 59 days (range 15-78), and one developed simultaneous mucosal involvement. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of lesions confirmed Leishmania (V.) braziliensis as the etiologic agent in three cases. All patients were cured with anti-Leishmania treatment. Entomologic surveys in the transmission area revealed a predominance of Lutzomyia neivai. This outbreak report confirms a microfocal transmission pattern of tegumentary leishmaniasis in the Americas and based on a well-determined exposure, allows the determination of incubation times for leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania braziliensis.