Resumo

TAYLOR, Viviana M; CEDENO, David L.  e  ROBLEDO, Sara M. Phototherapy in treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Infect. [online]. 2011, vol.15, n.4, pp.277-288. ISSN 0123-9392.

Leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in 98 countries around the world, with 12 million cases and more than 350 million people at risk of acquiring infection. Available drugs such as pentavalent antimony, amphotericin B and miltefosine, have been the treatment of choice for all clinical forms of leishmaniasis. However, disadvantages such as high cost, duration of treatment and toxicity, promote non-adherence or neglect of treatment and the emergence of resistant or less sensitive to medicine. These problems have stimulated the search of new therapeutic alternatives that are affordable, without adverse effects and favorable cosmetic results. Phototherapy is a procedure in which an agent photosensitizer when activated by light leads to production reactive oxygen species. This therapy used in the treatment of various forms of cancer, herpes and other and localized infectious diseases, is emerging as a promising strategy for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with large advantages such as low cost, easy handling and total resolution injury, becoming a very promising alternative compared to the traditional treatment approaches.

Palavras-chave : photodynamic therapy; Leishmania spp; agent photosensitizer; light; reactive oxygen species.

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