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Diseases Under Investigation
  * Chagas' Disease
    [American Trypanosomiasis]
  * African Sleeping Sickness
    [African Trypanosomiasis]
  * Leishmaniasis
  * Malaria
Target Organisms
  * Trypanosoma cruzi
  * Trypanosoma brucei
  * Leishmania spp.
  * Plasmodium falciparum
  * (Plasmodium vivax)
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LEISHMANIASIS
Leishmania spp.

Leishmaniasis has the potential to infect around 350 million people in eighty-eight countries in the tropics and subtropics. Leishmania epidemics have been reported in Northern India, the junction of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan, and southern Europe. Current World Health Organization (WHO) estimates report 12 million people are infected with an annual incidence of two million. Leishmania can be subdivided into three categories: Cutaneous, Mucosal and Visceral Leishmaniasis. Visceral Leishmaniasis has been associated with HIV and is fatal if left untreated. These parasites are transmitted by sandflies and also display antigenic variation. Vaccination efforts have been unsuccessful and drug resistance is mounting.

Organism Leishmania spp.
At Risk 350 million - Tropics and Subtropics
Humans Infected 2 million
Disease Outcome Visceral form (25% above) fatal
Vaccine Prospects Poor - immune evasion
Available Drugs Toxic, difficult to deliver
Drug Resistance Documented

General Information: Medline, World Health Organization