RESUMEN
Describir y evaluar cinco brotes epidémicos de leishmaniasis tegumentaria americana (LTA) en grupos familiares de los estados Miranda y Aragua y de la República de Colombia. Trece pacientes de grupos familiares diferentes acudieron al Instituto de Medicina Tropical por lesiones ulcerosas en regiones anatómicas expuestas; siete del sexo masculino en edades entre 2 y 66 años. La leishmanina, los anticuerpos fluorescentes anti-leishmania y los frotis por aposición de segmentos de piel de las úlceras revelaron la presencia del parásito leishmania spp. Se efectuaron exámenes bioanalíticos y cardiovasculares recomendados para el tratamiento con antimoniatos pentavalentes. Siete pacietes fueron tratados ambulatoriamente con meglumina intramuscular a la dosis de 3000 mg/día en series terapéuticas de 10 días con una segunda serie luego del reposo de 10 días. Una paciente adulta recibió tres series de AM, la última de ellas de 4500 mg/kg/día 10 días en hospitalización. Cinco niños fueron hospitalizados y recibieron AM a la dosis de 70 mg/día/10 días con reposo intermedio y una segunda serie. Los pacientes respondieron adecuadamente a la terapia empleada con la cicatrización completa de los procesos ulcerosos. La LTA siguen adquiriéndola pobladores y viajeros de las áreas rurales de Venezuela y Colombia y frecuentemente se presenta como brotes epidémicos familiares, lo cual facilita el diagnóstico presuntivo. El caso índice permite el diagnóstico de la enfermedad entre otros familiares. Los casos tratados comprueban una vez más las ventajas terapéuticas de la meglumina en LTA.
Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease acquired with relative frequency in the rural areas of Venezuela and Colombia. When there is the antecedent of another member of the family with a similar symptom "at home there is somebody with a similar ulcer" is a frequent statement that facilitates the diagnosis. To describe and evaluate five epidemic autbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis of the New World (CLNW) in family groups of Miranda and Aragua states in Venezuela and North Santander Department in Colombia, including diagnosis and treatment with meglumine. This disease is relatively frequently acquired by inhabitants and travelers to these geographical regions. Thirteen patients of different family groups, attended to the "Instituto de Medicina Tropical" (IMT) and to the "Hospital Universitario de Caracas" (HUC) presenting an ulcerative lesión on an exposed area of skin, compatible with the clínical diagnosis of this parasitic disease. Seven patients were females with age between 2 and 66 years. Laboratory diagnostic exams included the intradermal reaction test "leishmanina" serology tests for determination of antibodies anti-leismania and apposition smear from the ulcers stained by the Giemsa method, resulted positive for the infection produced by parasites of the species Leishmania spp. Six patients adults received treatment as outpatients with two series of the pentavalent antimony meglumine at a dose of 3000 mg/day during 10 days, one patient received the dose of 4500 mg/day as a last series of treatment. Children were given a dose of meglumine of 70 mg/kg/day, in series of treatment with their respective rest period. All patients responded adequately. Once again, we can demonstrate the advantages of the treatment of CLNW with the pentavalent antimony meglumine.