infectious diseases
Leishmaniasis
Etiology of Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniapromastigotes are transmitted by sand flies (Phlebotomus,Lutzomyia) to vertebrate hosts. Vector sand flies are infected by biting infected humans or animals. Animal reservoirs vary with theLeishmaniaspecies and geographic location and include dogs, other canines, rodents, and other animals. In the Indian subcontinent, humans are the reservoir forL. donovani. Rarely, infection is spread by blood transfusion, shared needles, congenitally, or sexually. 