Efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of thermotherapy for L. donovani-induced cutaneous leishmaniasis: A randomized controlled clinical trial

摘要

Background: The dermotrophic variant of L donovani causes cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Sri Lankan patients. Standard treatment is painful, costly, repeated intra-lesional (IL) injections of sodium stibogluconate (SSG). Treatment failures are increasingly reported, hence the need to investigate alternatives. Thermotherapy is a tested treatment for L tropica and L major CL. Efficacy, safety and cost-benefit of thermotherapy were assessed for the first time, for L.donovani CL.