History of Latin American Dermatology

ELBIO FLORES-CEVALLOS, LUIS FLORES-CEVALLOS, ZUÑO BURSTEINFigure 23. Façadeof the “Daniel A.Carrión” TropicalMedicine Institute,UNMSMFigure 24. VView ofthe central buildingof the NationalInstitute of HealthThis new research center, which quickly acquirednational and international prestige, took on the responsibilityof carrying out research, teaching, andcommunity assistance service in infectious and tropicaldiseases. The most outstanding tasks it has fulfilledare related to leishmaniasis, Chagas disease,enteric diseases, intestinal parasitoses, medical mycology,HIV/AIDS, infections by HTLV-1, hanseniasisand other diseases of viral and bacterial origin.Prestigious infectologist physicians are part of thisinstitute, including its current Director, Dr. EduardoGotuzzo, expert in STDs/AIDS, Dr. Alejandro Llanos, leishmaniasis researcher, Dr. PedroLegua, Hansenology scholar, Dr. Humberto Guerra, former Director and outstanding microbiologist,and Dr. Humberto Álvarez, highly respected parasitologist.OTHER RESEARCH CENTERSA third Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases has been recently created by Dr.Hernán Miranda, microbiologist, tropicalist, in the city of Trujillo, in the north of thecountry, where tegumentary leishmaniasis and mycoses are studied, among other ailmentsincluded in the area of tropical Dermatology.NATIONAL HEALTH INSTITUTEThis center is the scientific branch of the Health Ministry. Created in 1896, it has, withinits wide scope of action, historically performed a very important role in the diagnosis andresearch of Sanitary Dermatology diseases, such as Peruvian wart, tegumentary leishmaniasis,leprosy and mycosis, among others, having played a key role, through the productionof biologics and vaccines, in the eradication of smallpox in Peru (Figure 24).The researchers who over the course of its institutional history haveoutstandingly contributed to the study of various subjects are, among others:Telémaco Batisttini, in Peruvian wart; Arístides Herrer, in leishmaniasisand Carrión’s disease; Carlos Carrillo, in smallpox; Oscar MiróQuesada, in neoplasm; Oswaldo Meneses, in poisonous animals (snakes,spiders); René Solís, in STDs; José Gonzales Mugaburu, in parasitology;Zuño Burstein in leprosy and mycology.The National Health Institute has, since 1942, published one of themost important scientific publications in Peru, the Revista Peruana deMedicina experimental y Salud Pública, as its official organ of scientific reporting,of which the first editors were Drs. Telémaco Batisttini and CarlosGutiérrez Noriega, and which at present (2004) is headed by Dr. ZuñoBurstein, indexed at LIPECS, LILACS and SCIELO. It has a publishing committee and consultingcouncil of the highest scientific quality.Twenty years ago, the National Health Institute and the Health Ministry signed anagreement with the Daniel A. Carrión Institute of Tropical Medicine of the UNMSM, forresearch, staff training and treatment in leprosy and Sanitary Dermatology.Brief history of some diseasesTEGUMENTARY LEISHMANIASIS IN PERU. PERUVIAN CONTRIBUTIONTO ITS KNOWLEDGE AND LEGISLATIONPeru has the privilege — fortunately, from the scientific point of view, but unfortunatelyin the sanitary aspect — of having in its wide territory endemic areas of338