Parasitic diseases caused by
Leishmania and Trypanosoma species, known as neglected tropical diseases, are
responsible for high mortality and morbidity rates in developing countries.
Leishmaniasis is caused by more than 20 species of the kinetoplastid protozoanparasite Leishmania, which is transmitted to humans by species of phlebotomine
sand flies. It occurs in 98 countries with 350 million people living at risk.
According to the varied manifestations of the disease, leishmaniasis is
classified into four clinical forms: visceral, mucocutaneous, diffuse or
disseminated cutaneous, and cutaneous.
