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Case Reports
. 2020 Nov 2;13(11):e237687.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-237687.

Leishmania donovani mucosal leishmaniasis in Malta

Paula Grech  1 , Sarah M Vella  2 , Tonio Piscopo  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Leishmania donovani mucosal leishmaniasis in Malta

Paula Grech et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

We report a case of a 76-year-old British man living in Malta who presented with a 7-month history of recurrent epistaxis and an enlarging right nasal vestibular lesion. Of note, his medical history included rheumatoid arthritis for which he was on long-term methotrexate. Blood results were unremarkable other than a mild lymphopaenia. Despite the use of various antibiotics and intranasal steroids, the lesion failed to resolve. This was eventually biopsied, and the histological picture was that of mucosal leishmaniasis. Leishmania donovani complex was detected by PCR. The patient was treated with liposomal amphotericin B on alternate days for a total of 20 doses. The lesion was found to have healed well at follow-up and the patient denied any further episodes of epistaxis.

Keywords: ear; infections; infectious diseases; nose and throat.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Histology of the nasal vestibular lesion showing features of leishmaniasis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Histology of the nasal vestibular lesion showing features of leishmaniasis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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