[Platelet satellitism during cutaneous leishmaniasis]. / Satellitisme plaquettaire au cours d'une leishmaniose cutanée.

Platelet satellitism is considered an uncommon phenomenon with an estimated frequency at 0.008%. About 100 cases have been published. If not recognized, this artifact can lead to an erroneous diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. We report the case of a patient, with cutaneous leishmaniasis, who developed an isolated thrombocytopenia. The blood smear prepared from peripheral blood sample collected with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid showed platelets rosetting around polymorphonuclear. This phenomenon disappeared after treatment with Glucantime® for fifteen days and improvement of the lesions. We discuss also possible mechanisms to better understand this phenomenon.