American cutaneous leishmaniasis in infancy and childhood.

Infant and young child skin diseases are among the most common features of morbidity throughout the tropics. Because the skin is directly exposed to the environment, it is considerably affected by climatic and local conditions such as vectors and microorganisms, as in the case of leishmaniasis. In America the observed magnitude of cutaneous leishmaniasis in children has led to the study of increased risk of exposure of this group due to the possibility of peri- and intradomiciliary transmission. The present review pretends to make a concrete approach all through the broad and main figures of this parasitic disease, including the clinical, physiopathological, epidemiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects, in order to be used as a practical source of reference for pediatricians leading with tropical cutaneous pathology in the region.

Cutaneous lepidopterism: dermatitis from contact with moths of Hylesia metabus (Cramer 1775) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), the causative agent of caripito itch.

BACKGROUND: Lepidopterism derived from contact with arthropods and/or their products can result in adverse reactions that vary in severity from mild irritation to severe reactions including anaphylactic shock and death. Lepidopterism includes cutaneous and/or mucosal manifestations, systemic symptoms, or both mucocutaneous and systemic manifestations. OBJECTIVE: Epidemic outbreaks of dermatitis due to Hylesia sp. have been recorded in several countries of Latin America. The impact of climatic changes occurring presently on migrational and reproductive cycles of Hylesia metabus is also discussed in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In Venezuela, swarms of migrating H. metabus moths are historically recognized as the causative agents of "Caripito itch," a disease that has become an important public health problem. RESULTS: In this review, we present a series of four case reports reflecting the wide clinical pleomorphism exhibited in lepidopterism by H. metabus. CONCLUSION: Although dermatitis caused by these moths is usually resistant to all therapeutic treatment, individualization of therapy based on symptoms led to successful treatment in all four cases.

Concurrent Chagas' disease and borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis: The role of amiodarone as an antitrypanosomatidae drug.

The occurrence of mixed infections of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. is becoming a common feature in Central and South America due to overlapping endemic areas. Unfortunately, the possibilities for treating flagellated kinetoplastid infections are still very limited and most of the available drugs exhibit severe side effects. Although the development of new drugs for Leishmania has markedly improved in the last years, the tendency is still to employ antimonial compounds. On the other hand, treatment for Chagas' disease is only available for the acute phase with no effective therapeutical options for chronic stage disease. The following case report substantiates the recently discovered effect of amiodarone as a nonconventional antiparasitic drug, particularly against Leishmania, breaching a new perspective in the therapeutic management of these important infectious parasitic diseases.