Immunotherapy, immunochemotherapy and chemotherapy for American cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 14 - 21
• Main Authors: Mayrink, Wilson, Botelho, Ana Cristina de Carvalho, Magalhães, Paulo Araújo, Batista, Sebastião Mariano, Lima, Antonio de Oliveira, Genaro, Odair, Costa, Carlos Alberto da, Melo, Maria Norma de, Michalick, Marilene Susan Marques, Williams, Paul, Dias, Magno, Caiaffa, Waleska Teixeira, Nascimento, Evaldo do, Machado-Coelho, George Luiz Lins
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 01.01.2006; Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Antimony; Antiprotozoal Agents - administration & dosage; BCG Vaccine - administration & dosage; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Immunotherapy; Immunotherapy - methods; Leishmania - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - immunology; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous - therapy; Male; Meglumine - administration & dosage; Meglumine Antimoniate; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds - administration & dosage; Protozoan Vaccines - administration & dosage; Side effects; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Vaccines; Vector-borne diseases; Treatment; American cutaneous leishmaniasis; Tratamento; Imunoterapia; Immunotherapy; Leishmaniose tegumentar americana
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849; 0037-8682; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/S0037-86822006000100003

The first choice of treatment for American cutaneous leishmaniasis is the pentavalent antimonial drug. Although it has been shown that this treatment is mostly effective and indicated, some disadvantages should be taken into account such as side effects, long term treatment inconveniences and counter-indication for patients suffering from cardiopathy, nephropathy; yet, aging, pregnancy and other conditions. With the advent of the vaccine anti-American cutaneous leishmaniasis as a prophylactic measure, studies on therapy using the vaccine associated or not with other drugs have been performed by many investigators and it is currently among the alternative treatments and prevention measures for American cutaneous leishmaniasis. In conclusion, the association between antimony and vaccine (immunochemotherapy) showed the same cure rate when compared with the standard treatment (100%) and it was also able to reduce the salt volume in 17.9% and treatment length from 87 to 62 days, decreasing side effects.