Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: a rare imported case
Hla OO 1 and Aung LWIN 2
1 Department of Pathology, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anal Saleha (RIPAS Hospital), and 2 Department of Surgery, Suri Seri Begawan Hospital (SSBH), Brunei Darussalam
ABSTRACT
Leishmaniasis is vector-borne parasitic disease. It is one of the world’s poverty-related diseases, affecting largely the underprivileged section of the society in endemic countries. In non-endemic countries like Brunei Darussalam, it is a forgotten disease. Leishmaniasis can be classified into three types - cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. With the increase in international travel, migration, overseas military exercises, and Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) co-infection, leishmaniasis is nowadays becoming more prevalent throughout the world. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) may present mainly with solitary scaly papular lesion which may progress into nodule to rounded ulcer with raised margin. The ulcerated lesion may be misdiagnosed as skin cancer, tuberculosis and fungal infection especially to the unfamiliar and unwary eyes in the non-endemic regions. An imported case of CL is herein presented to draw the attention of health care providers to the possible occurrence of CL in Brunei Darussalam.
Keywords: Leishmaniasis, Kala Azar, sandfly, smears, biopsy diagnosis
Correspondence author: Hla OO.Department of Pathology, RIPAS Hospital, Jalan Tutong, Bandar Seri Begawan BA 1710, Brunei Darussalam.
Tel: +673 2242424 Ext 506. E mail: hlaoo39@yahoo.com
Brunei Int Med J. 2014; 10 (6): 323-325