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An imported case of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania ( Leishmania ) donovani in Japan
Author(s) -
Ito Kotaro,
Takahara Masakazu,
Ito Makoto,
Oshiro Minoru,
Takahashi Kenzo,
Uezato Hiroshi,
Imafuku Shinichi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/1346-8138.12609
Subject(s) - leishmania donovani , leishmaniasis , cutaneous leishmaniasis , visceral leishmaniasis , leishmania , virology , polymerase chain reaction , parasitic disease , leishmania major , disease , immunology , medicine , biology , pathology , parasite hosting , genetics , world wide web , computer science , gene
Leishmaniasis is a major world health problem, and 12 million people are estimated to be infected in 88 countries. There have been few reports of leishmaniasis in Japan and all were of foreign origin; therefore diagnosis is difficult for Japanese physicians. There are 21 different pathogenic Leishmania species, and identification is obtained by polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ). Here we report an imported case of leishmaniasis by Leishmania ( Leishmania ) donovani infection from Sri Lanka. L . ( L .) donovani usually causes visceral leishmaniasis, but in this case, the patient manifested cutaneous leishmaniasis. The identification of Leishmania species by PCR and investigation of the patient's background such as nationality and disease endemicity are important for diagnosis and treatment. This is the first report of cutaneous leishmaniasis by L . ( L .) donovani in Japan.