About this topic
Leishmaniasis is a disease that most often causes sores on the skin. Sometimes, the disease spreads to other parts of the body. It can spread to your mucus membranes or to your internal organs like the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. There are 3 forms of this disease. They include: ‚
- Skin sores and ulcers. This is the cutaneous form.
- Skin sores may spread to the nose and mouth. Then, they affect the mucus membranes. This is the mucosal form.
- Liver, spleen, and lymph nodes are involved. This is the most severe form and can cause death if it is not treated right away. It is the visceral form.
This illness is caused by the Leishmania germs. They are passed on to humans from sandfly bites. The sandfly becomes infected when it bites an animal with the infection. ‚
Treatment for this condition depends on the type or form of the disease. It may include drugs, lifestyle changes, and surgery. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your wounds. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- The doctor may send you to a skin specialist called a dermatologist if you have very bad scars.
- The doctor may also send you to an infectious disease specialist for more care.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Fight an infection
- Help with pain and swelling
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Anemia
- Bleeding
- Immune system may not work the right way
- Condition may come back
- Scars
- Spleen needs to be taken out
- Other infections
- Malnutrition
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Protect yourself:
- Apply or spray repellent on your skin.
- Wear clothes that will cover your arms and legs.
- Avoid unnecessary activities outside your house.
- Place wire screens in your windows and doors to keep flies from going in.
- Sleep under a net.
- Avoid being outdoors in the early morning and at dusk. This is when sandflies are most active.
- Destroy breeding areas by spraying with insecticide.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, or pain.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the wound.
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how to care for my wound.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have swelling, redness, or warmth around my wounds.
Where can I learn more?
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology ‚
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/leishmaniasis.html ‚
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/leishmaniasis/gen_info/faqs.html ‚
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ‚
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/leishmaniasis/Pages/Default.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚