Haemoculture of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis from two cases of mucosal leishmaniasis: re-examination of haematogenous dissemination.

Leishmania parasites were isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes of 2 patients with mucosal disease among a total of 23 parasitologically confirmed cases of leishmaniasis. One had had mucosal leishmaniasis for 4 years and active pulmonary tuberculosis was also diagnosed. The other patient presented a cutaneous lesion on his right leg of 3 months duration and asymptomatic mucosal involvement. He had received intravenous antimonials before isolation of parasites. Both patients had positive indirect fluorescent antibody and Montenegro skin tests. L. (Viannia) braziliensis was isolated from both patients. This culture of parasites from leucocytes provided direct evidence for metastatic spread of Leishmania via the blood.