American cutaneous leishmaniasis triggered by electrocoagulation

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 108 - 110
• Main Authors: Martins, Sofia Sales, Santos, Adriana de Oliveira, Lima, Beatriz Dolabela, Gomes, Ciro Martins, Sampaio, Raimunda Nonata Ribeiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 01-01-2018; Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT
• Subjects: Cascades; Case reports; Changing environments; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Demographics; Demography; Electrocoagulation; Human behavior; Inflammation; Insect bites; Insects; Keratosis; Leishmania; Lesions; Parasitic diseases; Skin; Skin tests; Trauma; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Vector-borne diseases; Atypical presentation; Trauma; Leishmaniasis
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0306-2017

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.