A Prolonged Incubation Period in Zosteriform Leishmania panamensis

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites from the genus Leishmania. Disease capabilities arise when sand flies transmit infection to mammalian hosts during blood feeding. Leishmaniases are categorized according to clinical manifestations, including cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral. Cutaneous leishmaniasis typically presents with erythematous skin lesions after an incubation period of weeks to months. Systemic symptoms typically are absent and an infected person may not have any symptoms. The following case of cutaneous leishmaniasis demonstrates this typical asymptomatic presentation in a patient with a prolonged incubation period preceding the onset of cutaneous symptoms.