[Importance of amastigote forms morphology to differentiate Leishmania infantum and Leishmania major species]

The microscopic study of the dermal smears of 62 cases of cutaneous leishmaniose, 27 infected by Leishmania [L.] infantum and 35 by L. major, showed that the amastigotes of L. infantum are meaningfully smaller [p < 0.001]. This criteria is a simple pary alternative to distinguish these 2 species which have completely different epidemiology, recovery delay and prophylactic dispositions