Clinical spectrum of nasal involvement in cutaneous leishmaniasis

• Published in: International journal of dermatology 2024-12, Vol.63 (12), p.e415-e420
• Main Authors: An, İsa, Doni, Nebiye Yentur
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; clinical dermatology; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Diagnosis; Differential diagnosis; Eczema; eczema‐like; Erysipeloid; Female; Frequency distribution; Health services; Humans; leishmaniasis; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - diagnosis; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - epidemiology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - pathology; Lesions; Lymphoma; Male; Middle Aged; nasal involvement; Nose - parasitology; Nose - pathology; Nose Diseases - diagnosis; Nose Diseases - epidemiology; Nose Diseases - parasitology; Nose Diseases - pathology; Parasitic diseases; parasitic disorders; Patients; Retrospective Studies; rhinophymatous; Sexually transmitted diseases; Skin diseases; STD; Turkey - epidemiology; Vector-borne diseases; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0011-9059; 1365-4632; 1365-4632
• DOI: 10.1111/ijd.17284

Background The clinical appearance of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) lesions located in the nasal area can be confused with many inflammatory or tumoral diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine the frequency of nasal involvement and the morphological variants of CL lesions located in the nasal region. Methods In this retrospective study, we included patients who presented to our Skin and Venereal Diseases Clinic in the province of Şanlıurfa, located in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey between September 2022 and October 2023, and were diagnosed with CL with nasal involvement. From the records of CL patients with nasal involvement in our clinic, we evaluated the clinical (lesion location, lesion type, lesion diameter, lesion duration, treatment) and demographic characteristics (age, gender). Results Of the patients (n = 278) diagnosed with CL using microscopic examination, 34 had nasal involvement, and the nasal involvement rate was 12.2%. Nineteen (55.8%) of the patients with nasal involvement were male, and 15 (44.2%) were female. Acute CL was detected in 28 patients (16 patients with dry‐type lesions, 12 patients with wet‐type lesions), and chronic CL was detected in six patients (four patients with lupoid and two patients with recidivant type lesions). According to the frequency distribution of clinical appearance, the most common lesions were eczema‐like lesions, erysipeloid‐type lesions, rhinophyma‐like lesions, and lymphoma‐like lesions. Conclusion Physicians working in CL‐endemic regions should strictly consider CL in the differential diagnosis of nasal lesions. Early diagnosis and treatment of CL might prevent possible scarring and mucosal spread.