Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania type. It is spread by the bite of certain types of sandflies.
Infections in humans are caused by more than 20 species of Leishmania.Risk factors include poverty, malnutrition, deforestation, and urbanization.About 4 to 12 million people are currently infected in some 98 countries. About 2 million new cases and between 20 and 50 thousand deaths occur each year. About 200 million people in Asia, Africa, South and Central America, and southern Europe live in areas where the disease is common.
