By: Sharon Namarome
Leishmaniasis is an infection caused by leishmaniasis protozoan parasite transmitted by the bite of infected female phlebotimine sandlifies which feeds on blood to produce eggs.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) an estimation of 700,000 to 1,000,000 new cases are normally reported annually worldwide.
The epidemiology of the disease depends on the characteristics of parasites and sandfly species, local ecological characteristics of transmission, current and past exposure of human population to parasite.
There are 3 main types of leishmaniasis which includes ;(1) Visceral leishmaniasis which is common in Brazil, East Africa and India. This kind of leishmaniasis is characterized by fever, weight loss, anaemia and enlargement of spleen and liver.(2) Cutaneous leishmaniasis which causes lesions on skin and leaves long life scar’s and serious disability if untreated. It’s commonly found in Algeria, Pakistan and Peru.(3) Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis which leads to total to partial destruction of mucus membranes of nose, mouth and throat.90% of the disease is recorded in Brazil, Ethiopia and Peru.
There are many risk factors’ tends to land one having the disease. This encompasses of socioeconomic conditions i.e. poverty in relation to poor housing and domestic sanitary condition like poor waste management which acts as breeding places for sandflies, *Malnutrition*;lack of proteins, vitamins, zinc and iron in the body increases the rate of progression and *Climate* i.e. change in temperature, rainfall and humidity can have a strong effect of reservoir, altering the distribution of flies distributing them to more survival areas as well as to uninfected areas increasing their spread.
There are also preventive measures which when adhered to will help curb the disease. Some of them include;Early diagnosis and prompt treatment to monitor and reduce the spread of the disease, Vector control to decrease sandflies by use of insecticides and environmental management, Mobilization which entails enacting programs that educates people on what leishmanisis is and the effective preventive measures that can help reduce the survival of sand flies and Surveillance by conducting prompt monitoring and acting upon during epidemic and situations with cases of high fatality rates.
Leishmaniasis is treatable and curable only with immunocompetent systems because medicine alone cannot rid of the disease from the body. Patients should complete the treatment as well.
