Criteria of Blum et al for the Response of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) to Therapy

 

NOTE: See also 24.05.03

 

Patient selection: cutaneous leishmaniasis following appropriate therapy

 

Follow-up: at 3 and 12 months (minimal)

Treatment Response	Criteria
complete	complete re-epithelialization of any ulcer and disappearance of nodular lesions
failure	re-epithelialization is incomplete 3 months after starting therapy
relapse	reappearance of an ulcer after complete healing OR an additional increase in the indurated area of a nodular lesion

 

Cutaneous lesions should heal within a month after starting effective therapy. A large ulcer will take longer to heal than a smaller ulcer.

 

Parasitologic confirmation is usually not required. An exception is a clinically complex case.

 

PCR is not recommended for confirmation since the DNA of leishmania can persist for several years after successful therapy.