American cutaneous leishmaniasis triggered byelectrocoagulation

• Main Authors: Sofia Sales Martins, Adriana de Oliveira Santos, Beatriz Dolabela Lima, Ciro Martins Gomes, Raimunda Nonata Ribeiro Sampaio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Series: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Subjects: Leishmaniasis; Trauma; Atypical presentation
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822018000100108&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis is usually transmitted by infected phlebotomine sand fly bites that initiate local cutaneous lesions. Few reports in the literature describe other modes of transmission. We report a case of a previously healthy 59-year-old woman who underwent electrocoagulation to remove seborrheic keratosis confirmed by dermatoscopy. Three months later, a skin fragment tested positive for Leishmania culture; the parasite was identified as L. (V.) braziliensis. Trauma may generate inflammatory cascades that favor Leishmania growth and lesion formation in previously infected patients. American cutaneous leishmaniasis is a dynamic disease with unclear pathophysiology because of continually changing environments, demographics, and human behaviors.