How to Prevent Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is caused by any member of the Leishmania genus. There are more than 20 pathogenic species in this genus, and they are classified into New World and Old World groups. Humans are generally incidental hosts for Leishmania, and it is transmitted from animal reservoirs through the bite of a female sandfly. Leishmaniasis has four forms grouped by the type of tissue that is affected: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, visceral and viscerotropic.

Instructions

• 1

  Inoculate children superficially in a concealed area. This is done in some parts of the world to induce immunity and prevent facial scarring. Patients generally acquire immunity to the particular species of Leishmania from which they were infected.

• 2

  Conduct mass campaigns to eliminate the animal reservoirs, insect vectors and treat infected individuals. These programs have had some success, but coordinated efforts have proven difficult and expensive.

• 3

  Use specially designed netting impregnated with permethrin while traveling in endemic areas. The female sandfly is small enough to pass through standard mosquito nets. Protective clothing also offers some protection.

• 4

  Educate patients on the risk of traveling to areas within the sandfly's habitat, especially if they have not been previously exposed to any form of leishmaniasis. Adults and males are more susceptible to leishmaniasis, and immunosuppressed patients should not travel to endemic areas at all.

• 5

  Follow attempts to create a vaccine. A vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis has been developed for dogs and this work is being used to develop a similar vaccine for humans.