Visceral and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an European Paediatric Population

Summary

Six children with leishmaniasis, aged 10 months to 10 years, were treated in the Paediatric Department. Four patients had visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar): diagnosis was based on bone marrow examination and therapy consisted of a combination of Glucantime® and Lomidine®. The remaining two children had cutaneous leishmaniasis: diagnosis was made by skin biopsy and the patients were treated with Glucantime® alone. In all children, serology was clearly positive at the time of the diagnosis and all patients improved. The only side effects were cough associated with fever in one child, and supraventricular premature beats in another one. They were ascribed to Glucantime®, and proved reversible after discontinuation of the treatment.