CDC Warns Disfiguring, Deadly Tropical Disease Leishmaniasis Spreading Locally in Parts of US
CDC scientists discovers a uniquely American strain of cutaneous leishmaniasis in non-traveling patients, raises concerns over the more lethal visceral variant potentially establishing through unscreened imported dogs.
- The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has warned that a deadly form of the tropical disease, leishmaniasis, is gaining a foothold in America. Researchers have discovered a unique, locally-transmitted strain of the disease in patients who have no history of travel outside the country.
- Relative humidity and climate conditions in the Gulf of Mexico region are conducive to sandfly survival, the insect vector that spreads leishmaniasis, leading to an increase in the number of cases. The disease is most prevalent in Texas and is feared to be regularly occurring in Oklahoma, Florida, and Arizona.
- Leishmaniasis, which can cause disfiguring skin ulcers and, in severe cases, can be fatal, is usually associated with travel to subtropical and tropical areas and parts of the Mediterranean. Its recent presence in the US confirms local transmission in parts of the country.
- Of growing concern to the CDC is the possible transmission of visceral leishmaniasis, a lethal variant of the disease, through unscreened imported dogs carrying the pathogen. Around one million dogs are brought into the US each year with little screening for infectious diseases.
- While raising awareness of the disease is necessary, it is linked with severe social stigma, especially for women in low-income countries, due to the disfiguring scars caused by the ulcers. The CDC is encouraging people to seek medical attention if symptoms appear to prevent potential fatality.
The Messenger 
The Hill 
