{"id":9521,"date":"2019-08-10T23:01:33","date_gmt":"2019-08-10T23:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=9521"},"modified":"2021-04-22T19:06:01","modified_gmt":"2021-04-22T19:06:01","slug":"16-known-causes-of-leishmaniasis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/16-known-causes-of-leishmaniasis\/","title":{"rendered":"16 Known Causes of Leishmaniasis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A parasite is a microscopic organism that lives within another organism. The organism that the parasite lives in is called the host. Leishmaniasis is a parasite that lives in infected sand flies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leishmaniasis is considered to be one of the most dangerous tropical diseases. There are more than twenty types of Leishmania parasites. The sand flies that are infected by the parasites can bite humans and spread the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the known causes of this parasitic infection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Leishmania Parasites<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are over twenty types of Leishmania parasites<\/a> that can cause infections. These parasites are microscopic organisms that live within a host organism. The parasites survive by taking their nutrients from their hosts. The Leishmania parasites are transmitted to animals and humans through sand fly bites from flies that are infected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sandfly can become infected by a Leishmania parasite by sucking the blood of an animal or human that has been infected. Sandflies are extremely small and are typically silent. At times, the bite of a sandfly can be quite painful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, most of the time the bites are not painful and many people do not even notice them. Sandflies are typically most active starting at dusk through dawn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These flies are most often found in tropical and subtropical climates and although they are called sand flies, they are not always found only near the sand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Getting Bit By Sand Flies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A sandfly can bite anyone and thus infect anyone no matter what their age, with the parasite that causes leishmania. Leishmaniasis <\/a>is more common throughout rural areas than in larger cities. A person who is infected with the parasite may not even realize it. In fact, some people do not develop symptoms of the disease at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other people will develop ulcers on the skin that can eventually lead to ulcers in the mouth, on the lips, and in the nose. When this occurs all sorts of health issues can arise. A person may find it difficult to breathe as the ulcers grow in size. This can become quite dangerous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have been in an area where sand flies are abundant and you have been bitten, it is important to tell your doctor if you develop any symptoms of the disease so that you can be properly tested and treatment can be provided. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Socioeconomic Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One risk factor<\/a> for developing leishmaniasis is a person\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Travel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are traveling outside of the United States or Western Europe, it is very important to make sure that you understand the risks of travel to the destination that you are going. There are certain parts of the world that have more cases of leishmaniasis than others. If you are going to a rural area that has a subtropical or tropical client, your risk of being bitten by an infected sand fly increases a great deal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a good idea to talk to your doctor about your travels so that you can get the proper immunizations<\/a> before you leave. While there is no vaccination against leishmaniasis, there are some treatments available if you develop the parasitic disease and your doctor will be able to discuss some of the common symptoms to watch for upon your return. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of leishmaniasis, preventative care can go a long way in avoiding this somewhat dangerous disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Environmental Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several environmental risk factors to consider when it comes to leishmaniasis. Areas that have seen recent development can often be a ground for infected sand flies. Deforestation, building dams, mining, and creating new or changing the old irrigation schemes in an area as well as any other common aspect of urbanization can cause an increased exposure of sand flies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This increased exposure to these tiny flies can then lead to more leishmanial infections<\/a>. Migratory patterns or the movement of a large population of individuals who are susceptible to leishmaniasis also increases the number of people that become infected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, the disease is spread by sandflies that are infected with the parasite. The flies become infected by biting a person or animal, most often dogs that are carrying the parasite already. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parasite can spread very quickly in this manner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Leishmaniasis Development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The number of individuals who are contaminated <\/a>with leishmaniasis every year throughout the world is not really known. However, according to the CDC, it is estimated that the amount of new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis each year is around 700,000 up to 1.2 million individuals of all ages throughout the world. The number is between 200,000 to 400,000 for the development of visceral leishmaniasis. Over 90 percent of the people who are infected with visceral leishmaniasis are from the poorer rural regions of Brazil, Sudan, South Sudan, Nepal, India, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is more widespread and affects people from Central and South America, Central Asia, and throughout the Middle East. If you are traveling to any of these areas it is important to know the risks of developing this disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

there are some precautions that can be taken in order to lower your risk of developing leishmaniasis during your travels.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Diagnosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect that you may have leishmaniasis, it is important to make sure that you seek medical attention right away. The diagnosis <\/a>of the disease will be based on the characteristic signs and symptoms of the disease along with a very detailed patient history. A doctor will conduct a clinical evaluation and run a variety of tests in order to determine whether or not a person has become infected with this parasite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The detailed patient history will include whether or not the person has traveled in an area of the world where the disease is more common. For example, a person who has developed a skin lesion that is either healing or non-healing and who has traveled to an area or lived in an area where leishmaniasis is often found should always consider cutaneous leishmaniasis as the cause for the lesion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important, to be honest with your doctor about your symptoms and your travels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Clinical Tests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your medical provider believes there is a chance that you have any type of leishmaniasis, they will order clinical testing. This will involve taking samples of tissue that have been infected in order to study it. The doctor may take scraping samples or a biopsy <\/a>of the skin lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis is suspected. A biopsy of the bone marrow may be taken if it is suspected that a person has developed visceral leishmaniasis. The samples will then be sent to a lab to be examined to see if the Leishmania parasites are present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, a doctor may order a blood test. These tests will determine whether or not there are antibodies in the blood that are working to rid the body of the leishmania parasites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An antibody is created by the body to help the immune system fight off any type of invading pathogen in the body. If there are elevated antibodies found in the blood it is a sign that there is some type of infection. 
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