Washington, December 18 (Prensa Latina) Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela have started introducing thermotherapy to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis, a disease that affects 42,000 people in Latin America every year, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported today.
This condition is caused by parasites transmitted through the bite of infected female insects and, in its most common form, the cutaneous form, causes round ulcers or nodules on the skin.
The disease is endemic in 18 countries in the region, with poor people in hard-to-reach and remote tropical areas at greatest risk.
Currently, patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis in the region mostly receive systemic treatment, which consists of a series of intravenous injections over 20 days.
Despite its effectiveness, it can cause side effects such as changes in kidney and liver functions and cardiac arrhythmias.
Since September 2022, the PAHO has updated the guidelines for the treatment of leishmaniasis, which include local therapy to treat cases of the skin disease without major complications with the drug meglumine antimoniate and the use of thermotherapy.
This technique involves generating radiofrequency waves that are applied locally to the entire lesion at a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius for a period of 30 seconds.
The treatment consists of a single session, resulting in savings in care and treatment costs for the healthcare system, the affected people and their families.
According to experts, the earlier the treatment is sought and the less advanced the disease, the greater the patient's chances of choosing this treatment alternative.
Leishmaniasis is one of more than 20 neglected tropical diseases that the World Health Organization and PAHO aim to prevent, control, eliminate or eradicate by 2030.
npg/lpn