BACKGROUND: A 31-year-old man who has suffered since age 3 from diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL), a disease with profound physical and psychosocial repercussions and no effective treatment at present, was treated with miltefosine. METHODS: The patient was treated for 120 days, 100 mg/day for 1 week, then 150 mg/day subsequently. RESULTS: Lesions were free of parasites at 43 days, and no signs of infiltration were present at day 76. No adverse side effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The dramatic clinical effect of miltefosine in this patient appears to fully justify further evaluation of this experimental therapy in DCL.
BACKGROUND: A 31-year-old man who has suffered since age 3 from diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL), a disease with profound physical and psychosocial repercussions and no effective treatment at present, was treated with miltefosine. METHODS: The patient was treated for 120 days, 100 mg/day for 1 week, then 150 mg/day subsequently. RESULTS: Lesions were free of parasites at 43 days, and no signs of infiltration were present at day 76. No adverse side effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The dramatic clinical effect of miltefosine in this patient appears to fully justify further evaluation of this experimental therapy in DCL.
Authors: Wendy van der Meide; Henry de Vries; Francine Pratlong; Allard van der Wal; Leslie Sabajo Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2008-05 Impact factor: 6.883