Abstract

Nâ??da Angbeletchi David AKA, Gonat Serge Pacôme DOU, Kalou Dibert ZIKA, Fatoumata COULIBALY, Mocket Adolphe. EHOUMAN, Ibrahima KONE and Koffi Daho ADOUBRYN

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), parasitic and zoonotic disease, is very little known to health professionals in Côte d'Ivoire. It is caused by the bite of a female sandfly that harbors the genus of Leishmania. The species generally involved in Africa are: Leishmania Infantum Nicolle, 1908, Leishmania major Yakimoff & Schokhor, 1914, Leishmania tropica Wright, 1903 and Leishmania aethiopica Bray, Ashford & Bray, 1973. We report here a case of cutaneous leishmaniasis discovered incidentally, presenting involvement of the lower limbs. The patient, a woman, 41-year-old, a housewife, originated from Burkina Faso, who consulted in a private clinic in 2019 for pruriginous skin lesions under a chronic mode. After examination, the disease was diagnosed by positive direct smear, and slide preparations, after scoriations of the skin lesions were carried out and sent to Algeria’s reference center for species determination. Treatment with Metronidazole 500 mg (1tab x3/day for four weeks) permitted to obtain clinical and biological cure without significant side effects. Practitioners should suspect Cutaneous leishmaniasis in case of chronic wounds in endemic zones. The strengthening of human resources, the improvement of our regional laboratories’ technical platform, the integration of the screening and management of leishmaniasis to the program against Buruli ulcer are urgently needed.