Leishmaniasis: current situation and new perspectives.

Area of Science:

• Neglected tropical diseases
• Parasitology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Leishmaniasis presents diverse clinical and epidemiological forms, with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) being fatal if untreated and anthroponotic foci causing severe epidemics.
• The global burden of leishmaniasis is substantial, impacting 88 countries and 350 million people, with significant annual new cases of VL and CL, and millions of DALYs.
• Environmental factors (migration, urbanization, deforestation) and individual risk factors (HIV, malnutrition) contribute to the persistent public health challenge of leishmaniasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical need for enhanced control tools for leishmaniasis.
• To emphasize the World Health Organization/TDR's focus on developing new diagnostic tests, drugs, and vaccines for leishmaniasis.
• To underscore the potential for significant impact on mortality, morbidity, and transmission in anthroponotic foci with new control strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of current leishmaniasis epidemiology and burden.
• Analysis of risk factors contributing to disease prevalence.
• Overview of World Health Organization/TDR research and development efforts.

Main Results:

• Significant global burden of leishmaniasis with clear geographic priorities identified.
• Ongoing research yielding promising new control tools, including diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines.
• Feasibility of achieving substantial impact on leishmaniasis mortality, morbidity, and transmission in anthroponotic foci.

Conclusions:

• Leishmaniasis remains a major public health concern requiring improved control measures.
• The development of new tools by WHO/TDR offers a pathway to scale up control activities in priority regions.
• Effective implementation of new tools in anthroponotic foci can significantly reduce disease impact.