Case report and literature review of leishmaniasis as a cause of leg ulceration in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Chronic leg ulceration is a common clinical problem in the UK, with a prevalence of more then 1% in the general population, rising to 2% in those over the age of 80. The commonest cause is mixed venous-arterial disease, which accounts for 67–76% of patients, with arterial disease being the cause in 9–28%. Less common diseases and presentations, such as vasculitis and malignancy, are the cause of ulceration in only 1–2% of patients (Table 1). All these ulcers are associated with considerable morbidity and the cost to the community in particular is high. It has been reported that 1.3% of the total health-care budget of the NHS is spent on the treatment of leg ulcers.