The clinical and immunological spectrum of American cutaneous leishmaniasis

Abstract

American cutaneous leishmaniasis is characterized by a spectrum of elinical manifestations. These inelude localized, often self-healing single lesions, interrnediate forms which frequently produce mucosallesions and often show exaggerated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), and the rare diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in -:vhichn~ reaction o~ protect!ve cell-rnediated irnmunity or DTH can be dernonstrated. Clinical, pathological and immunological studies have begun to unravel some of the mechanisms associated with different disease manifestations, dependent on complex interactions between the host irnmune response, measured in terms of indices including lyrnphocyte subsets and lymphokines in vitro and within active lesions, and different species of Leishmania.