3. Socioeconomic Status
One risk factor for developing leishmaniasis is a person’s socioeconomic status. A person who lives in a very poor area is more likely to develop this disease than someone living in a wealthier part of the world. The disease is not common in the United States. It is found most often in rural areas of Asia and South America. There have been several outbreaks of the disease in these countries and the outbreaks have caused many deaths.
According to Doctors Without Borders, leishmaniasis is one of the biggest killers among these nations. It is second only to malaria when it comes to parasitic diseases.
These areas have higher numbers of the disease simply because of the lack of proper medical care. These people live in poor conditions and do not often have the best hygiene, which allows the parasite to grow and spread throughout the population.