Leishmaniasis News and Research

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Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies. It is found in nearly 88 countries, from rain forests in Central and South America to deserts in the Middle East and west Asia. Some cases of the disease have also appeared in Mexico and Texas.

Leishmaniasis takes several different forms, including the most common cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores, and the more severe visceral leishmaniasis, which affects internal organs such as the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 1.5 million new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis and 500,000 new cases of visceral leishmaniasis in the world each year.

Wasan lab develops novel oral formulation to treat systemic fungal infections

The Wasan Laboratory in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia in partnership with iCo Therapeutics Inc. (Vancouver BC, Canada) have developed a novel oral formulation of Amphotericin B to treat systemic fungal and parasitic infections.

23 Mar 2020

Novartis and DNDi to partner on development of new oral treatment for visceral leishmaniasis

Novartis and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, a not-for-profit research and development organization, have signed a collaboration and license agreement to jointly develop LXE408, as a potential new oral treatment for visceral leishmaniasis, one of the world's leading parasitic killers.

25 Feb 2020

Clemson researchers discover protein function in parasites which afflict millions with diseases

In the quest to develop more effective treatments for parasitic diseases like African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis, scientists look for weaknesses in the organisms' molecular machinery. These weaknesses can then be targeted with drug therapies designed to kill the parasites.

24 Feb 2020

Scientists develop concept to tackle tropical disease

The tropical disease Leishmaniasis is being tackled by catching female sand flies who carry the parasite that causes the disease.

5 Dec 2019

International consortium to receive BRL 43.5 million for discovering drugs to treat neglected diseases

In the search for new drugs to treat neglected diseases and malaria, researchers at the University of Campinas and University of Sao Paulo will assemble a team of scientists in a global collaboration network co-funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative and the Medicines for Malaria Venture.

26 Nov 2019

'African eye worm' hampers efforts to eliminate river blindness, study shows

Efforts to eliminate river blindness, a debilitating disease affecting millions in Africa, will be hampered by another parasitic infection known as Loiasis, or 'African eye worm,' according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

20 Nov 2019

New leishmaniasis look-alike parasitic infection reported

A new study published online in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases describes the appearance of a new protozoan infection carried by insects which causes symptoms that mimic the disease called visceral leishmaniasis, caused by a different parasite.

2 Oct 2019

Study: Transmission of protozoan parasite may cause leishmaniasis-like symptoms in people

A new study published this week online in Emerging Infectious Diseases suggests that transmission of a protozoan parasite from insects may also cause leishmaniasis-like symptoms in people

1 Oct 2019

Brazilian researchers identify new species of parasite in fatal case of visceral leishmaniasis

Brazilian researchers believe they have identified in patients treated at the University Hospital (HU) in Aracaju, state of Sergipe, a new species of parasite that can cause a disease similar to visceral leishmaniasis but is resistant to the treatments currently available.

1 Oct 2019

2019 ASTMH Annual Meeting to focus on Ebola, monkey malaria, and other infectious diseases

This year's meeting will kick off with keynotes from two public health heroes who have pioneered a home-based approach to fighting infant mortality in India that's now being adopted in 10 countries.

23 Sep 2019

Study sheds light on the metabolism of Leishmania parasite

University of York scientists are part of an international team which has discovered how a parasite responsible for spreading a serious tropical disease protects itself from starvation once inside its human host.

17 Sep 2019

Discovery of protein that may be key to treating tropical diseases

Neglected tropical diseases form a group of infectious parasitic diseases that affect a large percentage of the world population, mostly in emerging nations. Sleeping sickness affects millions in sub-Saharan Africa and is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly.

27 Aug 2019

Discovery of molecular mechanism behind spread of leishmania infection

Researchers from the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) have made a breakthrough in understanding the reason behind the virulence of leishmania parasite. The leishmania parasite is responsible for causing leishmaniasis which affects over 12 million people across the globe and is a chronic parasitic disease.

14 Aug 2019

Researchers make scientific breakthrough regarding Leishmania virulence strategy

A team from the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique has made a scientific breakthrough regarding the virulence strategy employed by the Leishmania parasite to infect cells of the immune system.

12 Aug 2019

Preventing parasites from adhering to mosquito guts could stop disease transmission

A group of microorganisms known as kinetoplastids includes the parasites that cause devastating diseases such as African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis.

31 Jul 2019

People successfully treated for visceral leishmaniasis can still infect others, study confirms

The results of an innovative "infectivity" study conducted by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh confirm that people successfully treated for visceral leishmaniasis in South Asia can still infect others if they develop a skin condition known as post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis.

22 Jul 2019

Leishmaniasis News and Research

Further Reading

Wasan lab develops novel oral formulation to treat systemic fungal infections

Novartis and DNDi to partner on development of new oral treatment for visceral leishmaniasis

Clemson researchers discover protein function in parasites which afflict millions with diseases

Scientists develop concept to tackle tropical disease

International consortium to receive BRL 43.5 million for discovering drugs to treat neglected diseases

'African eye worm' hampers efforts to eliminate river blindness, study shows

New leishmaniasis look-alike parasitic infection reported

Study: Transmission of protozoan parasite may cause leishmaniasis-like symptoms in people

Brazilian researchers identify new species of parasite in fatal case of visceral leishmaniasis

2019 ASTMH Annual Meeting to focus on Ebola, monkey malaria, and other infectious diseases

Study sheds light on the metabolism of Leishmania parasite

Discovery of protein that may be key to treating tropical diseases

Discovery of molecular mechanism behind spread of leishmania infection

Researchers make scientific breakthrough regarding Leishmania virulence strategy

Preventing parasites from adhering to mosquito guts could stop disease transmission

People successfully treated for visceral leishmaniasis can still infect others, study confirms

Increasing awareness about visceral leishmaniasis could help reduce fatalities, disease transmission

Consortium receives EU grant to develop new treatment for leishmaniasis

Southern Research team aims to discover new, safer antimalarial medicines

Europe under major threat from vector-borne diseases

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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