Advances and Challenges Regarding American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in the Amazon: Scientific, Epidemiological and Public Health Perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACT American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) remains a significant public health problem in the Americas, with the Amazon region standing out in Brazil for its high number of cases. This article aimed to present advances in the understanding of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and control of ATL in the state of Amazonas over the past decades. This study is a narrative review of scientific studies published in the literature between 2011 and 2025, retrieved from databases such as PubMed and SciELO, as well as public data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN), official reports from the Ministry of Health and technical notes from the Amazonas Health Surveillance Foundation. The evolution of disease incidence is reported, highlighting the predominance of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis and the environmental factors associated with the increase in cases, such as deforestation and unplanned urbanization. Advances in diagnostic strategies include the expanded use of molecular techniques and the strengthening of the primary healthcare network. Regarding therapy, clinical trials with drugs such as pentamidine, miltefosine, tamoxifen and itraconazole have demonstrated their efficacy in treatment. The review also includes socio-environmental, genetic and experimental studies that have contributed to a better understanding of the disease. It emphasizes the need to establish a priority agenda that includes the use of telemedicine and the institutionalization of collaborative research for therapeutic innovation, integration between research and healthcare services and strategies adapted to the Amazonian context. Regional scientific advances can support more effective control policies and reduce the burden of ATL in this highly endemic setting.