Uncommon clinical manifestations of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most common dermatoses of the tropics. A major focus of this disease is the Syrian city of Aleppo, after which it was named in many textbooks ("Aleppo boil"). The first cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis were reported from Aleppo particularly more than 100 years ago. Syria is one of the most affected countries worldwide. This disease used to be well documented until the onset of the war in Syria in 2012, which is also supported by the numbers of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and Aleppo used to be the most affected Syrian city. Since 2012, the documentation of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Syria is no longer possible. An outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis has been detected especially in the besieged regions due to missing prevention measures against the sandflies and a lack of medical care. A short summary of the epidemiologic situation in Syria as well as outstanding and uncommon clinical manifestations of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Aleppo are presented.