[Cutaneous leishmaniasis].

Leishmaniasis is a group of parasitic conditions due to a flagella protozoan of the Leishmania genus and transmitted to man by phlebotomine sandflies. Cutaneous leishmaniasis exists all over the world. Those of the Old World are, in the vast majority of cases, purely cutaneous and spontaneously regress in several weeks to several months. In general, local treatment is sufficient. Those of the New World, due to multiple leishmaniasis complexes, involve a major risk of developing into a secondary mucosal form when rapid means of identifying the genus are not available. First-line treatment consists of antimony derivatives. In endemic regions, prophylaxy remains essential.