Weekly versus every 3 days intralesional meglumine antimoniate therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis

BACKGROUND: Meglumine antimoniate (MA) is an expensive and toxic drug which is still considered as the cornerstone in chemotherapy of cutaneous leishmaniasis in some areas of the world. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of weekly versus every 3 days intralesional MA therapy tor cutaneous leishmaniasis, METHODS: The patients were divided into two groups: 35 patients were treated every 3 days and 17 were treated weekly: All lesions were injected with MA from four points surrounding and beneath the lesions until complete blanching was achieved. Injections were repeated every 3 days for the first group and every 7 days for the second group. RESULTS: Of the 35 patients treated every days. receiving six injections, 34 recovered after an average of 18 days. Of the 17 patients treated weekly receiving three injections, 16 recovered after an average 21 days. CONCLUSIONS: There was little difference in the course and cure rate between the every 3 day and the weekly intra-lesional therapy protocols, while the every 3 day protocol was almost twice as expensive from all aspects (drug, facilities and manpower costs) as the weekly protocol. We therefore recommend an interval of not less than 1 week between injections for intralesional MA treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.