Mucosal leishmaniasis mimicking squamous cell carcinoma in a liver transplant recipient

Abstract

Organ transplant recipients living in endemic regions are at increased risk of Leishmania infections. Visceral leishmaniasis is the most common kind of presentation in the Mediterranean basin. Rarely, Leishmania infantum may cause localized mucosal disease. We present the first case, to our knowledge, of a liver transplant recipient with localized mucosal leishmaniasis. Twenty-two years after transplantation, a painless, very slow growing ulcer appeared on the inner side of the patient's upper lip. A biopsy performed in the community hospital showed non-specific chronic inflammation without neoplastic signs. Because of a high suspicion of malignancy, the patient was transferred to the referral hospital to consider complete excision. The excisional biopsy revealed a granulomatous inflammatory reaction together with intracellular Leishmania amastigotes within macrophages. Leishmaniasis was confirmed by the nested polymerase chain reaction assay. The clinical and laboratory findings did not suggest visceral involvement. The patient received meglumine antimoniate for 21 days without relevant adverse effects.

Keywords: Leishmania infantum; leishmaniasis; liver transplantation; meglumine antimoniate; mucocutaneous.