15 Symptoms of Leishmaniasis

A parasite that can infect sandflies is leishmaniasis. When a person is bitten by a sandfly that has been infected by this parasite they may develop leishmaniasis.  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. This parasitic disease can affect people differently. Some people will have a silent infection and not have any symptoms or signs.

Other people have a mild or moderate form of the disease and have few symptoms. Others will have a severe infection. This can cause permanent damage and even become life-threatening.

Here are 8 symptoms of leishmaniasis to consider. 

1. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Ulcers

Some people will carry the leishmaniasis parasite for a long time and never get sick. When cutaneous leishmaniasis occurs, a person who has been bitten by a sandfly that was infected may notice ulcers developing on their skin. These ulcers may appear a few weeks after they received the bite. However, in some cases, a person will not have symptoms for months or even years.

The skin ulcers are typically quite painless and many people will not think much of them. 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. The sooner that treatment is started, the better the chances of curing the illness.