High continuous antimony therapy in two patients with unresponsive mucosal leishmaniasis

The treatment of two patients with severe mucosal leishmaniasis due to Leishmania braziliensis braziliensis is described. Both patients had received much prior antimonial therapy and one had relapsed after a total dose of 2.5 g of Amphotericin B. Both patients responded to prolonged continuous Pentostam therapy at a daily dose of 20 mg Sb(v)/kg/day for 62 days in one case and for 85 days in the other. Pentavalent antimonials can be curative in such protracted courses in selected patients unresponsive to standard chemotherapy.