In this Article

• What is leishmaniasis?
• What are the signs and symptoms of cutaneous leishmaniasis?
• What are the signs and symptoms of visceral leishmaniasis?
• How common is leishmaniasis?
• In what parts of the world is leishmaniasis found?
• Could I get leishmaniasis in the United States?
• How is leishmaniasis spread?
• Who is at risk for leishmaniasis?
• If I were bitten by an infected sand fly, how quickly would I become sick?
• Can leishmaniasis be a serious disease if not treated?
• What should I do if I think I might have leishmaniasis?
• How will my health care provider know if I have leishmaniasis?
• How is leishmaniasis treated?
• How is leishmaniasis prevented?
• If I have already had leishmaniasis, could I get it again?
• Leishmaniasis Glossary
• Leishmaniasis Index

If I were bitten by an infected sand fly, how quickly would I become sick?

People with cutaneous leishmaniasis usually develop skin sores within a few weeks (sometimes as long as months) of when they were bitten.

People with visceral leishmaniasis usually become sick within several months (rarely as long as years) of when they were bitten.

Can leishmaniasis be a serious disease if not treated?

Yes, it can be. The skin sores of cutaneous leishmaniasis will heal on their own, but this can take months or even years. The sores can leave ugly scars. If not treated, infection that started in the skin rarely spreads to the nose or mouth and causes sores there (mucosal leishmaniasis). This can happen with some of the types of the parasite found in Central and South America. Mucosal leishmaniasis might not be noticed until years after the original skin sores healed. The best way to prevent mucosal leishmaniasis is to treat the cutaneous infection before it spreads.

If not treated, visceral leishmaniasis can cause death.

What should I do if I think I might have leishmaniasis?

See your health care provider, particularly if you have traveled to an area where leishmaniasis is found and you have developed skin sores that aren't healing. Be sure to tell your health care provider where you have traveled and that you might be at risk for leishmaniasis.

It is very rare for travelers to get visceral leishmaniasis.

How will my health care provider know if I have leishmaniasis?

The first step is to find out if you have traveled to a part of the world where leishmaniasis is found. Your health care provider will ask you about any signs or symptoms of leishmaniasis you may have, such as skin sores that have not healed. If you have skin sores, your health care provider will likely want to take some samples directly from the sores. These samples can be examined for the parasite under a microscope, in cultures, and through other means. A blood test for detecting antibody (immune response) to the parasite can be helpful, particularly for cases of visceral leishmaniasis. However, tests to look for the parasite itself should also be done. CDC staff can help with the laboratory testing. Diagnosing leishmaniasis can be difficult. Sometimes the laboratory tests are negative even if a person has leishmaniasis.