[Lupoid leishmaniasis].

INTRODUCTION

Due to the wide variety of clinical pictures, several terms have been used in the literature reporting cases of lupoid leishmaniasis, including chronic leishmaniasis and recurrent leishmaniasis.

CASES: We report three new cases, two of which presented the classical features, and a third one with an unusual distribution of the lesions.

DISCUSSION: Lupoid leishmaniasis is a particular evolving form of cutaneous leishmaniasis with characteristic spreading of the initial nodule, leading to a plaque simulating discoid lupus. Leishmaniasis major was identified in all three patients and recognized as the zoonotic leishmaniasis which usually presents as a classical oriental sore. A clinical course to lupoid leishmaniasis is probably related to changes in cell-mediated immunity leading to localized or diffuse lesions.