Leishmania spp.

Leishmania is a genus of protozoan parasites infecting human macrophages (a type of white blood cells) when they are injected by blood-sucking sandflies. About 21 species are known to be pathogenic to humans, and the disease is categorised into two forms based on the clinical symptoms.

(1) The cutaneous form with ulcers in the skin, endemic in the Middle East, and Central and South America

(2) The visceral form with fever, anemia, and enlarged spleen and liver, endemic in the Indian subcontinent, Central and South America, and East Africa.

Dogs can act as carriers, and sometimes infected dogs arrive from foreign countries. Chemotherapy is effective for patients at an early stage of infection. The leishmania disease is not distributed in Japan. However, care should be taken for people who become infected in the endemic areas abroad and show symptoms after returning to Japan.