A DENTAL VIEW ON AMERICAN TEGUMENTARY LEISHMANIOSIS: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a group of diseases caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Among the Leishmaniasis of the new world is American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL), which can manifest as primary lesions in the mucosa or skin of the head and neck region. These lesions can affect the oral cavity and / or the patient has signs and symptoms detectable by the dentist. The objective of this work is to carry out a bibliographic survey on ATL in the main databases, seeking to relate it to this area of ​​activity. For this purpose, searches were carried out in the SciELO, Pubmed / MEDLINE and LILACS databases with the descriptors “Leishmaniasis Mucocutânea”, “Oral Medicinal” and “Diagnostic”, in the English and Portuguese languages, in the period between 2011 and 2021. As a result, 379 articles were found and, after considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 26 articles were selected. Therefore, ATL should be part of the differential diagnosis of lesions in the areas in which the dentist operates, enabling an early diagnosis and referral to appropriate medical treatment. In addition, this knowledge is necessary for public policies on prevention and education to be more effective, aiming at decreasing the prevalence of this pathology and increasing the patient's quality of life.

Keywords: Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis. Oral medicinal. Diagnosis.