Oral ulcer as an unusual feature of visceral leishmaniasis in an AIDS patient

Leishmaniasis, a globally prevalent parasitic disease, occurs in three forms, viz., visceral, cutaneous and mucocutaneous. It is transmitted by female Phlebotomus sandflies. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is increasing worldwide, and several reports indicate a rising trend of VL / HIV co-infection, modifying the traditional anthroponotic pattern of VL transmission. India is one of the countries having the largest burden of leishmaniasis; nevertheless, there are very few HIV / leishmania co-infection cases reported so far. We report a 35-year-old homemaker infected with the human immunodeficiency virus; she presented with an oral ulcer. The investigations carried out on her revealed that she was afflicted by visceral leishmaniasis, and the oral ulceration was a part of the same. This is only the second such case from the Indian subcontinent, and more significantly from a non-endemic area.