American cutaneous leishmaniasis: history, epidemiology and prospects for control

American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) is an infectious disease transmitted by the bite of phlebotomines mosquitos (Order Diptera: Family Psychodidae: Sub-Family Phlebotominae) and caused by protozoa from the genus Leishmania (ROSS 1903). In Brazil, there are six different species of Leishmania and more than 200 different species of phlebotomines. It's a disease that has been afflicting human beings for many centuries, and in Brazil, in the past two decades, there has been an important increase in the number of cases and also in its geographical distribution. Presently, ACL cases are registered in all Brazilian states under three different epidemiological profiles (sylvatic, sylvatic-modified and periurban). Between 1985 and 2003, 523,975 cases were registered, mainly in the northeast and north of the country, although the north has the highest incidence rate. In this study, aspects related to difficulties in treatment and transmission control, and new strategies to approach the disease are discussed. Alternatives such as the development of new drugs (topical and oral routes), the implementation of diagnostic methods in public health services, differentiated transmission control based on the 3 different epidemiological profiles and basic research on the molecular biology of the parasite are pointed out.

American cutaneous leishmaniasis; Epidemiology; Control; Brazil