Clinical Overview of Leishmaniasis

The term leishmaniasis encompasses multiple clinical syndromes, including the cutaneous, mucosal, and visceral forms, which result from infection of macrophages in the dermis, in the naso-orpharyngeal mucosa, and throughout the reticuloendothelial system, respectively. The infection can range from asymptomatic to severe in all of these forms. Cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis can cause severe morbidity; visceral and mucosal leishmaniasis can be life threatening.