Key Takeaways
Summer might be over, but that doesn’t mean that the threat of pesky insects doesn’t linger. Aptly named sand flies—tiny tan insects that are about a quarter of the size of a mosquito—have become an insect of concern in the United States.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the form that causes skin sores. Visceral affects internal organs, such as the spleen, liver, and bone marrow, and mucocutaneous destroys the body’s mucus membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat. Of the three, cutaneous is the most common form detected both in the U.S. and around the world, Cama said. The CDC estimates anywhere from 700,000 to 1.2 million people around the world experience cutaneous leishmaniasis each year.
Leishmaniasis is far from common in the U.S. In Texas—the only state that requires public health reporting of leishmaniasis—an average of six cases are documented each year.The reason to take notice of the disease and its tiny sand fly vectors now is that researchers are starting to notice more cases are originating in the U.S. than usual.
Where Is Leishmaniasis Found?
Leishmaniasis cases can be found worldwide, including some parts of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, southern Europe, Mexico, and Central and South America.Most of the positive leishmaniasis cases in the U.S. “are from people who traveled internationally, often to Latin America,” Cama added.
According toLuis Marcos, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook University in New York, the total number of native U.S. cases is unknown. What experts know is that there’s a sand fly population that exists in southern parts of the country, including Texas. A recent 2021 study also found leishmaniasis cases in Southeast Oklahoma.
Marcos theorizes that the reason for this spread is global warming.
“We’re seeing more and more warmer winters. Not just in that area of the U.S. [the south], but also in New York,” he said. “Another example: We’ve seen very few cases of Lyme disease in the winter or early spring because it’s cold. But now when the temperatures are above 50 degrees, we see cases of Lyme or [other] tick-borne disease in the winter.”
Climate Change Will Aggravate the Spread of More Than 200 Infectious Diseases
What Do Leishmaniasis Sand Fly Bites Look and Feel Like?
Compared to mosquito bites, which are raised, red, and itchy bumps that go away after several days, sand fly bites usually start off small, grow into ulcers, aren’t typically painful, and take a longer time to heal.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photomathess / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
mathess / Getty Images
Marcos said that the skin lesions should disappear without intervention within two to three months. If they don’t go away on their own, become painful, or leak fluid, Marcos said that treatment may be needed. If skin lesions are left untreated, they can turn into scars.
Treatment options for lesions vary from patient to patient, but a typical treatment might be a monthlong course of an oral, anti-parasitic medication. Other patients may need intravenous medication for a week.
How to Prevent Leishmaniasis
Currently, there are no vaccines or drugs to prevent infection. The best prevention is to take protective measures against sand flies.
You should also consider wearing bug spray whenever you’re heading outdoors, camping, or hiking.
What This Means For YouWhile your odds of contracting leishmaniasis in the U.S. are still low, it’s still in your best interest to avoid a sand fly bite. Prevention is key: avoid buggy outdoor areas between dusk and dawn, wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks, and apply bug spray with DEET to avoid getting bitten.
What This Means For You
While your odds of contracting leishmaniasis in the U.S. are still low, it’s still in your best interest to avoid a sand fly bite. Prevention is key: avoid buggy outdoor areas between dusk and dawn, wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks, and apply bug spray with DEET to avoid getting bitten.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Leishmaniasis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding your risk for leishmaniasis.Curtin JM, Aronson NE.Leishmaniasis in the United States: Emerging issues in a region of low endemicity.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030578Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing leishmaniasis.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Leishmaniasis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding your risk for leishmaniasis.Curtin JM, Aronson NE.Leishmaniasis in the United States: Emerging issues in a region of low endemicity.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030578Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing leishmaniasis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
World Health Organization.Leishmaniasis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding your risk for leishmaniasis.Curtin JM, Aronson NE.Leishmaniasis in the United States: Emerging issues in a region of low endemicity.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030578Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing leishmaniasis.
World Health Organization.Leishmaniasis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding your risk for leishmaniasis.
Curtin JM, Aronson NE.Leishmaniasis in the United States: Emerging issues in a region of low endemicity.Microorganisms. 2021;9(3):578. doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030578
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing leishmaniasis.
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