Iqbal A Muhammad, Shuja Farrukh, Murtaza A Ansari, Jawaid Alam.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis on Ala of Nose Mimicking Basal Cell Carcinoma.
Pak J Otolaryngol Jan ;18(1):15-7.

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by protozoal species and subspecies of the genus Leishmania. The disease is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, also called oriental sore is usually caused by L. Major, L. tropica and L. infantum. Female sandf ies of the genus Phlebotomus acts as a vector. Cutaneous lesion occurs at the site of the bite. This is the case of a 60 years old lady from the endemic area, who developed oriental sore on her left ala of nose, that mimicked basal cell carcinoma (Rodent ulcer). Histopathology of the biopsy material from the margins of the lesion revealed Leishman donovan bodies in the histiocytes, that confirmed the diagnosis of cutaneous Leishmaniasis. The lady was treated with intramuscular injections of pentavalent antimonial compound for 21 days with cardiac, renal and hepatic monitoring. On discharge from the hospital, her alar lesion was well healed with negligible scaring and cosmetic deformity. To the best of our efforts for literature search, this case has never been reported in this contest throughout our country.

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