- Symptoms of visceral leishmaniasis
- Symptoms of cutaneous leishmaniasis
- What to do in case of suspicion
- How to protect yourself
The symptom that most calls attention to leishmaniasis is the onset of high fever, with abdominal pain and swelling. These symptoms can appear up to 6 months after the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite and if the disease is not treated properly it can lead to death.
Leishmaniasis is a disease that especially affects dogs, but can be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is enough that the mosquito bites the sick dog and then bites the person to make him sick.
This disease can be caused by several parasites of the same family, and depending on the parasite, two main types of Leishmaniasis can appear, with symptoms such as:
Almost all cases start with a fever above 38ºC that lasts for several weeks. During that time, the fever goes down until it disappears, but it returns shortly afterwards. Other symptoms include:
- Swelling of the belly, about 2 weeks after the onset of the fever; Sore tongues; Weight loss and excessive weakness; Dark spots on the skin; There may be diarrhea.
When this type of disease is more advanced, severe anemia can also arise, which can lead to heart problems, as well as bleeding from the nose, eyes and stools. If treatment is not started quickly, more serious diseases such as pneumonia, measles or tuberculosis, which are life-threatening, are frequent.
The first symptom of this type of Leishmaniasis is the development of a small lump at the site of the mosquito bite which, after a few weeks or months, turns into a large, round wound. This wound usually heals without needing treatment, which can happen between 2 to 15 months. However, in some cases, these wounds may take time to heal, requiring treatment with a nurse.
After healing, the wounds usually leave permanent scars and, therefore, if they affect the face, they can cause aesthetic changes.
What to do in case of suspicion
When there is a suspicion of being infected with Leishmaniasis it is very important to go immediately to the hospital to do blood tests and confirm whether the disease is present in the body. Generally, cutaneous leishmaniasis can be diagnosed even without exams, as the appearance of wounds after a mosquito bite is enough to confirm the disease. However, visceral Leishmaniasis has symptoms very similar to typhoid fever, malaria or brucellosis, making it necessary to perform a biopsy of the spleen in order to be sure of the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment.
Understand how Leishmaniasis is treated.
How to protect yourself
The only Leishmaniasis vaccine available is to be applied to dogs that are not infected with the parasite. As transmission to humans occurs through the bite of the infected mosquito, the only way we have to protect ourselves is to avoid the mosquito bite by adopting some precautions such as:
- Use mosquito nets or repellent curtains on windows and doors at home; Use repellent on the skin or frequently use insecticidal sprays: Put insecticide collars on domestic animals and vaccinate these animals.
These precautions, in addition to protecting against Leishmaniasis, also protect against other problems caused by mosquito bites such as Dengue, Zika or Chikungunya Fever, for example.
See other ways to protect yourself from mosquito bites and prevent this type of disease.
