Leishmaniasis natural history

Prognosis
The skin sores of cutaneous leishmaniasis will heal on their own, but this can take months or even years. The sores can leave ugly scars. If not treated, infection that started in the skin rarely spreads to the nose or mouth and causes sores there (mucosal leishmaniasis). This can happen with some of the types of the parasite found in Central and South America. Mucosal leishmaniasis might not be noticed until years after the original skin sores healed. The best way to prevent mucosal leishmaniasis is to treat the cutaneous infection before it spreads.


 * If not treated, visceral leishmaniasis can cause death.
 * Some people have had cutaneous leishmaniasis more than once.

Possible complications

 * Deadly infections due to immune system damage
 * Disfigurement of the face
 * Bleeding (hemorrhage)