Novel low-cost thermotherapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2013 May 2;7(5):e2196. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002196. Print 2013.

Abstract

Thermotherapy is an accepted alternative therapy for new-world cutaneous leishmaniasis, but current heat-delivery modalities are too costly to be made widely available to endemic populations. We adapted a low-cost heat pack named the HECT-CL device that delivers safe, reliable, and renewable conduction heat. 25 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis completed treatment with the device at an initial temperature of 52°C ± 2°C for 3 minutes to each lesion, repeated daily for 7 days, and were followed up for 6 months by direct observation. The overall definitive clinical cure rate was 60%. Concurrently, 13 patients meeting minimally significant exclusion criteria received identical compassionate use treatment with a cumulative definitive cure rate of 68.4%, 75% for those who had experienced CL relapse after prior antimonial treatment. Therapy was well tolerated. Reversible second-degree burns occurred in two patients and no bacterial super-infections were observed. HECT-CL is a promising treatment and deserves further study to verify its safety and efficacy as adjuvant and mono- therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Burns / epidemiology
  • Burns / pathology
  • Child
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / adverse effects
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / economics
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / instrumentation
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / methods*
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peru
  • Pilot Projects
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a pilot grant from the Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar to RSW from Infectious Diseases Section, Tulane Medical School (Special non-numbered grant). AKB was supported by a Professional Development grant and a Detweiler traveling fellowship through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada during the study period. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.