Leishmaniasis Health Article

Definition

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease spread by the bite of the sandfly.

Alternative Names

Kala-azar

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

There are different forms of leishmaniasis.

• Cutaneous leishmaniasis affects the skin and mucous membranes. Skin sores can resemble those due to other diseases including tuberculosis, syphilis, leprosy, skin cancer, and fungal infections. Ulcers may develop on mucous membranes.
• Systemic, or visceral, leishmaniasis affects the entire body. This form can be lead to deadly complications. The parasites damage the immune system by decreasing the numbers of disease-fighting cells.

Cases of leishmaniasis have been reported on all continents except Australia. In the Americas, leishmaniasis can be found in Mexico and south into the South American continent. Leishmaniasis has been reported among some military personnel returning from the Persian Gulf.

Symptoms

Systemic visceral infection in children usually begins suddenly with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and cough. Adults usually have a fever for 2 weeks to 2 months, along with nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and loss of appetite. Weakness increases as the disease gets worse.

Other symptoms of systemic visceral leishmaniasis may include:

• Cough (children)
• Diarrhea (children)
• Fever that persists for weeks; may come and go in cycles
• Night sweats
• Scaly, gray, dark, ashen skin
• Thinning hair
• Vague belly area (abdominal) discomfort
• Vomiting (children)
• Weight loss

Cutaneous leishmaniasis affects the skin and mucuous membranes. Symptoms may include:

• Breathing difficulty
• Skin sores (macule or papule)
• Skin ulcer (forms at site of original sore); ulcer heals very slowly
• Smaller lesions may form around the ulcer (satellite lesions)
• Stuffy nose, runny nose, and nosebleeds
• Swallowing difficulty
• Ulcers and wearing away (erosion) of tissues on the mouth, tongue, gums, lips, nose, and inner nose