Information on Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus leishmania. Leishmania are tiny protozoa. Their parasitic life cycle includes the sandfly and the right host. Humans are impure via the bite of phlebotomine sand flies, which breed in forest areas, caves, or the burrows of small rodents. Leishmania infection can cause skin disease, which can also affect the mucous membrane. The infection can also cause systemic (throughout the body) disease. Leishmaniasis is found in parts of about 88 countries.

Most of these countries are in the tropics and subtropics. Approximately 350 million people live in these areas. It is possible but very unlikely that you would get this disease in the United States. There are several different forms of leishmaniasis. In cutaneous forms, skin ulcers usually form on exposed areas, such as the face, arms and legs. The most common forms are cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores, and visceral leishmaniasis, which affects some of the internal organs of the body. In mucocutaneous forms, the lesions can partially or totally destroy the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and throat cavities and surrounding tissues.

In cutaneous leishmaniasis, the primary symptom is a bump at the site of a sand fly bite. It appears after several weeks or months and contains protozoa. A visceral leishmaniasis form, also known as kala azar, is characterized by high fever, extensive weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and anemia. The symptoms typically develop slowly over weeks to months. People may have irregular bouts of fever. They may lose weight, vomit, have diarrhea, and be generally tired. The liver, spleen, and lymph nodes enlarge. In people with AIDS, leishmaniasis often recurs. Some sores are covered by a scab.

The sores can be painless or painful. Some people have swollen glands near the sores. Other consequences, which can become manifest anywhere from a few months to years after infection, include fever, damage to the spleen and liver, and anemia. The best way to prevent the disease is to protect you from sandfly bites. Drugs used to treat the infection depend on the species and the geographic location. Antimony drugs are often used, particularly if spread to mucous membranes is possible. Surgical consultation may be necessary for adjunctive appendectomy.