ABSTRACT
FUNDAMENTOS: Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana é zoonose de manifestações clínicas variadas, em expansão no Brasil, sendo o estado de Mato Grosso do Sul importante área endêmica. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar clínica, epidemiológica e laboratorialmente pacientes com Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana , atendidos no Hospital Universitário Maria Aparecida Pedrossian, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil (HU/UFMS). MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo observacional do tipo transversal com abordagem descritiva e analítica. Foram avaliados, retrospectivamente, dados de pacientes suspeitos de Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana , atendidos no HU/UFMS de 1998 a 2008, e encaminhados ao Laboratório de Parasitologia/UFMS para complementação diagnóstica. Para a inclusão neste estudo foram considerados critérios clínicos e laboratoriais. RESULTADOS: Quarenta e sete pacientes foram incluídos no estudo. Houve predominância de homens de 45 a 59 anos, com a forma cutânea, lesão única, ulcerada, em áreas expostas do corpo e com duração menor que seis meses. O comprometimento de mucosas foi crescente com o aumento da idade e maior em pacientes que procuraram atendimento tardiamente. Intradermorreação de Montenegro foi o exame de maior sensibilidade e o encontro do parasito mostrou-se mais difícil em lesões antigas. CONCLUSÃO: Suspeição diagnóstica precoce é de extrema importância para diagnóstico preciso. Associação de exame parasitológico e imunológico torna mais seguro o diagnóstico laboratorial.
BACKGROUND: American cutaneous leishmaniasis is a disease with a wide variety of clinical manifestations that is expanding throughout Brazil, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul constituting a significant endemic area. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical, epidemiological and laboratory characteristics of patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis. Patients were recruited among those attending the Maria Aparecida Pedrossian Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, observational study conducted using a descriptive and analytical approach. Data from patients suspected of having American cutaneous leishmaniasis who were receiving care at this institute between 1998 and 2008 and were referred to the institute's parasitology laboratory for confirmation of diagnosis were evaluated retrospectively. Clinical and laboratory criteria were taken into consideration for the inclusion of patients to the study. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included in the study, the majority of whom were male and between 45 and 59 years of age. Most had the cutaneous form of the disease with a single, ulcerated lesion on exposed areas of the body, which had generally been present for periods of less than six months. Mucosal involvement increased with age and was highest in patients who had sought medical care at a later stage. The Montenegro skin test showed the highest sensitivity. Finding the parasite was more difficult in older lesions. CONCLUSION: Suspicion of the disease at an early stage is of extreme importance for a precise diagnosis. A combination of parasitological and immunological tests renders laboratory diagnosis more reliable.