Immune Profile of the Nasal Mucosa in Patients with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Localized skin lesions are characteristic of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL); however, () species, which are responsible for most CL cases in the Americas, can spread systemically, sometimes resulting in mucosal disease. Detection of has been documented in healthy mucosal tissues (conjunctiva, tonsils, and nasal mucosa) and healthy skin of CL patients and in individuals with asymptomatic infection in areas of endemicity of () and () transmission. However, the conditions and mechanisms that favor parasite persistence in healthy mucosal tissues are unknown.