Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in a US citizen.

Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) is endemic to many areas of Central and South America. A case of MCL in a US citizen is reported here. An ulcer appeared on the patient's left hard palate, years after a working trip to Peru. Punch biopsies of the lesion were obtained, Leishmania promastigotes were isolated by culture and animal inoculation, and the patient was appropriately treated. As this case demonstrates, a patient's travel history is a key element in making a differential diagnosis of oral lesions.