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Liposomal amphotericin B reduces duration of L. tropica in children

Systemic therapy with liposomal amphotericin B resulted in a considerably shorter duration of Leishmania tropica in children than treatment with pentavalent antimony, according to study findings.

In the retrospective study, 47 children with L. tropica cutaneous leishmaniasis were treated with topical or systemic therapy with liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB) or pentavalent antimony. Patients’ average number of lesions was 2.6, and most were found on the face.

Thirty-six patients were treated with topical therapy prior to their referral or as a first-line treatment; topical treatment included paromomycin ointment, intralesional sodium stibogluconate (IL-SSG), cryotherapy or a combination of all three.

Only one of 17 patients (5.9%) treated with paromomycin ointment had a complete response. Among the 21 patients treated with IL-SSG, 14 (66.6%) had complete resolution of cutaneous leishmaniasis within 3 months.

Overall, 24 patients required systemic treatment; 13 received L-AmB due to previous treatment failure, and 11 received L-AmB as primary treatment. Among patients who received systemic treatment with L-AmB, 75% had a complete response and 8.3% had a partial response by 3 months, according to the researchers.

Disclosures: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.