Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and leprosy are endemic diseases in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, and have some
characteristics in common, both affect mucocutaneous tissue, course with a chronic granulomatous response, show
a broad clinical spectrum, and affect poor populations. Buriticupu (Amazon of Maranhão) represents an important
endemic area for the two diseases in the State. Objective: To report the occurrence of patients with clinical and
laboratorial findings of the association of CL and leprosy. Methods: In view of these findings and the scarcity of
studies on this subject, we report the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of seven patients from this region.
All patients, seen at the health center of the Federal University of Maranhão-UFMA, Buriticupu municipality,
during March 2003 to December 2004, had their diagnosis confirmed after clinical and laboratorial findings.
Results: Patient age ranged from 9 to 64 years, there was predominance of males (71.3%), 57.1% was laborers, and
their socioeconomic situation was considered poverty. All patients had borderline leprosy and 90% had ulcerated
lesion of CL. Treatment with meglumine antimonate (Glucantime®) + anti-leprosy drugs (polychemotherapy) had
good response. Conclusions: The association of CL + leprosy represents a new entity in northeast of Brazil, which
however, is predictable since there is reports of an association among diseases which course with a granulomatous
response caused by distinct parasitic agents.
Key words: Leprosy, cutaneous leishmaniasis, association of diseases, Northeast of Brazil.