12 million suffer from Leishmaniasis in the world

• April 26, 2024

The name comes from the microscopic and unicellular organisms (Leishmania) that, despite their size, have managed to infect millions of people in the world.

These parasites infect around 30 species of mosquitoes whose sting transmits the disease. Except in Australia, leishmaniasis is present on all continents.

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), every year 2 million new records occur in the world, most are diagnosed as cutaneous leishmaniasis.

In the Americas, cases have been reported from northern Argentina to southern Texas and a study by the Medical Center of the University of Maryland, has reported the infection among some soldiers who returned from the Persian Gulf.

Types of leishmaniasis, some mortals

The most common is the skin and affects the skin and mucous membranes through the formation of skin ulcers or sores that resemble those caused by other diseases, such as tuberculosis, syphilis, leprosy, skin cancer or other diseases produced by fungi.

Another type is the systemic or visceral that damages the whole body and if it is complicated or not treated, it can even cause death, since the parasites damage the immune system decreasing the number of cells that fight the disease.

Bleeding and sores between symptoms

In the case of cutaneous leishmaniasis, the affected person has difficulty breathing and swallowing, sores on the skin and skin ulcers in the area where the bite occurred, as well as nosebleeds and erosion of the tissues in the mouth, tongue, gums , lips, nose and nasal septum; Facial disfigurement is common.

In children, the visceral and systemic infection begins suddenly with vomiting, diarrhea, fever and cough.

In adults, there is a fever that lasts from two weeks to two months, accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite. The weakness increases as the disease gets worse. The skin becomes scaly, grayish, dark while the hair becomes thin.

Like most tropical diseases, leishmaniasis affects mostly the less favored classes, where access to medical care is difficult, community programs are insufficient and control of the mosquito population is ineffective.

Against leishmaniasis there are no vaccines or preventive drugs, only the control of the microscopic parasite and its transmitting mosquitoes can contribute to curb this endemic disease in more than 100 countries.