HealthJuly 17, 2026

leishmaniasis

/ˌliːʃməˈnaɪəsɪs/

Definition

A neglected tropical disease caused by parasites that is becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to the emergence of drug resistance.

Etymology

The term is derived from the surname of Scottish pathologist William Boog Leishman, who discovered the parasite in 1901, combined with the suffix -iasis, which denotes a pathological state or condition.

In the news

The article identifies leishmaniasis as a disease where drug resistance against current treatments, such as miltefosine, poses a significant threat to global health control programs.

Antimicrobial resistance

Read the full article ↗

World Health Organization (WHO)

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