PEDIATRICS Vol. 95 No. 6 June 1995, pp. 891
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IMMUNOTHERAPY AS A TREATMENT OF AMERICAN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS: PRELIMINARY STUDIES IN BRAZIL

W. Mayrink , P. A. Magalhaes , and M. S.M. Michalick

Treatment of American cutaneous leishmaniasis has been successful with antimony compounds for 80 years. There are certain conditions where the chemotherapy cannot be used—pregnant women and patients with heart or renal disease. A group in Brazil carried out a sequential trial (not a random controlled trial) of vaccine composed of killed parasites from five stocks of the leishmania, while another group received the traditional therapy of antimony. The immunotherapy program was intensive requiring 10 daily injections followed by a 10-day free period. Of 62 patients (aged 3 to 70 years) so treated, 47 (76%) were considered clinically cured; 41 required 2-10 of the 10-day treatment courses; and the other 6 required 11-19 courses. There were no adverse effects. Results were better in patients with single cutaneous and multiple cutaneous lesions, and less effective in those patients with mucocutaneous lesions.

The authors make the point that because leishmaniasis occurs especially in rural areas, it would be possible to give patients a supply of syringes and vials and have self-administration at home, whereas, with the antimony treatment, close supervision of patients is necessary.