"Rapid Spread of Flesh-Eating Parasitic Disease in America"
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 1,222 cases of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease spread by infected sandfly bites, in US citizens between 2005 and 2019. Previously, most cases were linked to travel or living in other countries, but the CDC's new findings suggest that 86 recent cases were found in people with no recent travel history. The majority of cases were found in Texas, but there are reports of cases in other southern US states. While the disease does not pose a serious public health risk to citizens, health professionals are being urged to increase awareness and surveillance to better understand the nature of the disease.
