Can leishmaniasis be contracted in the United States?

While most cases of leishmaniasis seen in the U.S. are acquired elsewhere, a form of cutaneous disease caused by L. mexicana may be acquired in central Texas and has been nicknamed “Highway 90 disease” by those familiar with its distribution. The standard treatment for leishmaniasis includes antimonial medications, but other medications such as ketoconazole, fluconazole, and physical modalities such as hyperthermia have anecdotally been shown to improve the lesions.

Davis AJ, Kedzierski L: Recent advances in antileishmanial drug development, Curr Opin Investig Drugs 6:163–169, 2005.

Furner BB: Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Texas: report of a case and review of the literature, J Am Acad Dermatol 23:368–371, 1990.