Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is known for its wide variety of clinical presentations. Children are frequent victims of the disease but studies regarding clinical spectrum of the disease are sparse. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore clinical spectrum of CL in children.Study design: Case seriesPlace and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Muzaffarabad from January 2006 to June 2008.Patients and Methods: Children of all ages having lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis anywhere on the body were included in the study. Various demographical features and clinical patterns of the lesions were recorded in all cases and subsequently categorized accordingly. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: Ninety six cases of childhood cutaneous leishmaniasis were seen. Age range was 4 months to 15 years (mean age = 8.72 + 4.47). Male to female ratio was 1.18:1. Majority of the patients (75%) had solitary lesions. Maximum lesion count was 4. All but one patient had lesions on face. Cheeks were most common sites followed by nose and lips. All children were treated with weekly intralesional injections of meglumine antomonate and duration of treatment ranged from 4 weeks to 16 weeks (mean = 10.58 + 2.72). Predominant clinical pattern was psoriasiform plaque. All patients responded well to treatment with out any significant side effect.Conclusion:Childhood cutaneous leishmaniasis makes a major portion of CL and its clinical spectrum is different from that of adult CL. Lesions are characteristically seen on face and respond favourably to weekly intralesional treatment with antimonial compound.
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