what is leishmania
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Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that is found in parts of the tropics, subtropics, and southern Europe. Leishmaniasis is caused by infection with Leishmania parasites, which are spread by the bite of infected sand flies. There are several different forms of leishmaniasis in people.
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Answer:
What is leishmaniasis?
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania parasite. This parasite typically lives in infected sand flies. You can contract leishmaniasis from a bite of an infected sand fly.
The sand flies that carry the parasite typically reside in tropical and subtropical environments. Fatal epidemics have occurred in areas of Asia, East Africa, and South America.
Affected regions are often remote and unstable, with limited resources for treating this disease. Doctors Without Borders calls leishmaniasis one of the most dangerous neglected tropical diseases. The organization also states this disease is second only to malaria in parasitic causes of death.
Read more: Parasitic infections »
What are the types of leishmaniasis?
Leishmaniasis comes in three forms: cutaneous, visceral, and mucocutaneous. Different species of the Leishmania parasite are associated with each form. Experts believe that there are about 20 Leishmania species that can transmit the disease to humans.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis
Cutaneous leishmaniasis causes ulcers on your skin. It’s the most common form of leishmaniasis. Treatment may not always be necessary depending on the person, but it can speed healing and prevent complications.
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis
A rare form of the disease, mucocutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by the cutaneous form of the parasite and can occur several months after skin ulcers heal.
With this type of leishmaniasis, the parasites spread to your nose, throat, and mouth. This can lead to partial or complete destruction of the mucous membranes in those areas.
Although mucocutaneous leishmaniasis is usually considered a subset of cutaneous leishmaniasis, it’s more serious. It doesn’t heal on its own and always requires treatment.
Visceral leishmaniasis
Visceral leishmaniasis is sometimes known as systemic leishmaniasis or kala azar.
It usually occurs two to eight months after being bitten by a sand fly. It damages internal organs, such as your spleen and liver. It also affects your bone marrow, as well as your immune system through damage to these organs.
The condition is almost always fatal if it’s not treated.
What causes leishmaniasis?
Leishmaniasis is due to protozoan parasites from the Leishmania species. You get leishmaniasis from being bitten by an infected sand fly.
The parasite lives and multiplies inside the female sand fly. This insect is most active in humid environments during the warmer months and at night, from dusk to dawn. Domestic animals, such as dogs, can serve as reservoirs for the parasite. Transmission may occur from animal to sand fly to human.
Humans can also transmit the parasite between each other through a blood transfusion or shared needles. In some parts of the world, transmission may also occur from human to sand fly to human.
Who is at risk for leishmaniasis?
Geography
The disease is found everywhere in the world except Australia and Antarctica. However, about 95 percent of cutaneous cases occur in:
the Americas
Central Asia
the Mediterranean basin
the Middle East
In 2015 over 90 percentTrusted Source of visceral cases occurred in:
Brazil
Ethiopia
India
Kenya
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
If you live in or travel to the tropical or subtropical areas of these countries and regions, you’re at a much higher risk of contracting the disease. Environmental and climate factors heavily influence the spread of the disease.
Socioeconomic conditions
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source, poverty is a determining factor for the disease. In addition, leishmaniasis often occurs in areas where the following conditions are common:
malnutrition
famine
lack of financial resources
large migrations of people caused by urbanization, emergency situations, war, environmental changes and climate change
Other infections
People who have weakened immune systems are at increased risk of this condition.
HIV can influence the transmission of leishmaniasis and increase the risk of visceral leishmaniasis. HIV and leishmaniasis affect similar cells of the immune system.
People infected with HIV are also often infected with leishmaniasis. In areas of Ethiopia, it’s estimated that as many as 35 percentTrusted Source of people with leishmaniasis have HIV too.
Learn more: Everything you need to know about HIV and AIDS »
What are the symptoms of leishmaniasis?
People can carry some species of Leishmania for long periods without becoming ill. Symptoms depend on the form of the disease.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis
The main symptom of this condition is painless skin ulcers. Cutaneous symptoms may appear a few weeks after being bitten by an infected sand fly. However, sometimes symptoms won’t appear for months or years.