The aim of the randomized double blind trial with 134 patients presenting old world cutaneous leishmaniasis is:

• to evaluate the clinical efficacy of electro-thermo-cauterisation (ETC) followed by moist wound treatment versus ETC followed by moist wound treatment plus 0.05 % pharmaceutical chlorite that has been used in three European countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) in wound care management for more than 20 years;
• to judge whether early wound care management would present a viable improvement to the actual anti-parasitic treatments mostly neglecting the chronic wound problem and to evaluate its long-term effect on immunity through relapse control 6 months after wound healing.

Inclusion Criteria:

• at least one suspected lesion positive in Giemsa smear

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients previously treated for leishmania