Prague Med. Rep. 2012, 113, 105-118

https://doi.org/10.14712/23362936.2015.26

Topical Treatment Modalities for Old World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Review

R. Alavi-Naini1, Asghar Fazaeli2, T. O'Dempsey3

1Research Centre for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
2Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Zanjan, Iran
3Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK

Received October 6, 2011
Accepted April 11, 2012

Diagnosis and therapy of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) can be difficult due to the variability of the clinical pictures and resistance to therapy. There is no vaccine currently available for CL. The aim of the present review is to describe different topical treatment modalities for old world CL. The mainstays of treatment for old world CL are pentavalent antimony compounds which are administered parenterally or intralesionally. New topical treatment alternatives have been available within the past few years. Amongst several treatments used topically, physical therapies including cryotherapy, heat therapy and CO2 laser are promising for the treatment of old world CL. Along with that, other randomized placebo controlled trials should be designed to find new effective therapeutic regimens.

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