Q. I know that you deal with cosmetic problems, but my dad goes to Thatta very often and i was wondering what 'Leishmaniases' is and if he can get it.
A. The leishmaniases is a group of diseases caused by species of the parasite of genus leichmania. this causes infection of the skin and mucus membranes.
The disease is transmitted by female sand flies that feed on the blood of an animal or human host. This disease has an incubation period of less than 2 months.
Clinically the lesions appear as small bluish red papule that slowly enlarge and develops into a nodule. The lesion heals in about 6 months but leaves behind a scar. In the second type of leishmaniasis, the incubation period is more than 2 months. A small red-brown nodule appears which develops into a slowly extending plaque. A shallow ulceration appears in the center and a crust apperars. Although lesions heal spontaneously they leave behind a disfiguring scar.Treatment of the disease is in injection form given as a course of a 10-day treatment. This can be repeated after a week if the response is not good.