14 Most Common Signs Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a disease that is caused by a parasite known as leishmania. This parasite typically is found in sand flies that are infected. The disease can be contracted by being bitten by a sandfly that has been infected. The sand flies that are infected by this parasite typically live in subtropical and tropical environments.

There have been fatal epidemics of leishmaniasis in areas of Asia, South America, and East Africa. The regions that are affected are often unstable and remote and have limited resources to treat the disease.

Leishmaniasis is considered to be one of the most dangerous tropical diseases. It is only behind malaria when it comes to parasitic causes of death.

There are three forms of this parasitic disease, mucocutaneous, visceral, and cutaneous. There are different species of Leishmania parasites associated with each of these types.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of Leishmaniasis. 

1. Skin Ulcers

A person may carry some type of Leishmania parasite for a very long time and not become sick. The symptoms of this illness will depend on the type. In cutaneous leishmaniasis, the symptoms will often appear within a few weeks after being bitten by a sandfly that was infected. However, in some cases, a person will not have symptoms for months or even years.

The main symptom of cutaneous leishmaniasis is skin ulcers. These are lesions on the skin that are painless. Some people may not even realize that they are an issue because they appear on the skin and do not cause them to experience any type of pain. However, these lesions can get worse with time and the infection can spread.

When the infection begins to spread it can become quite dangerous. If you have skin ulcers it is important to make sure that you show them to your doctor in order to determine the underlying cause and begin treatment.