A patient with cutaneous or mucocutaneous leishmaniasis may experience stigma associated with disfiguring skin lesions.
Cutaneous involvement may take the form of:
(1) fungating lesions
(2) ulcerations
(3) deformity or disfigurement with loss of aesthetics
(4) scarring
Reasons for stigma:
(1) severity of the disfigurement
(2) negative cultural attitudes and beliefs
(3) lack of acceptance or rejection by family and friends
(4) discrimination by others
(5) presence of other comorbid stigmatizing conditions (HIV, poverty, etc)
The affected patient may:
(1) make attempts to conceal and mask
(2) feel shame
(3) socially withdraw and avoid, with isolation
(4) feel self-disgust
(5) become depressed
(6) feel anxiety
(7) be subjected to mockery, ridicule or bullying
(8) experience loss of employment or economic loss
