Abstract
Leishmaniases are zoonotic vector-borne diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania that affect millions of people around the globe. There are various clinical manifestations, ranging from self-healing cutaneous lesions to potentially fatal visceral leishmaniasis, all of which are associated with different Leishmania species. Transmission of these parasites is complex due to the varying ecological relationships between human and/or animal reservoir hosts, parasites, and sand fly vectors. Moreover, vector-borne diseases like leishmaniases are intricately linked to environmental changes and socioeconomic risk factors, advocating the importance of the One Health approach to control these diseases. The development of an accurate, fast, and cost-effective diagnostic tool for leishmaniases is a priority, and the implementation of various control measures such as animal sentinel surveillance systems is needed to better detect, prevent, and respond to the (re-)emergence of leishmaniases.
Highlights
Leishmaniases are vector-borne diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania and are transmitted amongst mammalian hosts by phlebotomine sandflies
The control of leishmaniases is an ongoing global challenge complicated by many different biological and environmental factors involved in the circulation of the diseases
The leishmaniases are re-emerging in endemic areas and emerging in non-endemic areas due to the increasing human influence on the environment
Summary
Leishmaniases are vector-borne diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania and are transmitted amongst mammalian hosts by phlebotomine sandflies. The phenomenon of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases is driven by various, often inadvertently, anthropogenic constituents, such as environmental factors (i.e., climate change, deforestation), population movement (i.e., migration, increased international travel), socioeconomic and political-driven factors (i.e., poverty, lack of political will, war/conflict), and genetic factors including host adaptation and susceptibility to infection [18] This multiplicity of components driving disease emergence was first described by The National Academy of Sciences as a “convergence model” [19] and later defined as follows: “ecological instabilities arise from the way we alter the physical and biological environment, the microbial and animal tenants (humans included) of these environments, and our interactions (including hygienic and therapeutic interventions) with the parasites” [20].
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