---
title: "Leishmaniasis: The Impact of a Neglected Tropical Disease"
id: "news-news-lancet-infectious-diseases-020bb5cc2bebe4169be23ea3"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/news/news-news-lancet-infectious-diseases-020bb5cc2bebe4169be23ea3"
content_type: "medical_news_article"
category: "Infectious Disease"
source_name: "The Lancet Infectious Diseases"
source_url: "https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(26)00067-8/fulltext?rss=yes"
published_at: "2026-02-04T23:30:01.000Z"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Leishmaniasis: The Impact of a Neglected Tropical Disease
## Metadata & Source Attribution
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/news/news-news-lancet-infectious-diseases-020bb5cc2bebe4169be23ea3
- **Category:** [Infectious Disease](https://medichelpline.com/news/infectious-disease.md)
- **Reporting Source:** The Lancet Infectious Diseases
- **Original Source URL:** [Read Original Article](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(26)00067-8/fulltext?rss=yes)
- **Published At:** 2026-02-04T23:30:01.000Z
## Executive Summary & Key Highlights
Visceral leishmaniasis, or kala-azar, is a deadly disease linked to sandflies. Recent films highlight its contrasting scenarios in South Asia and East Africa.
## In-Depth Reporting & Editorial Analysis
The sandfly species Phlebotomus is highly prolific, with a single female capable of laying hundreds of eggs in mud walls and termite mounds, areas where impoverished communities often reside. This high reproductive rate contributes to visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, which ranks among the deadliest parasitic diseases globally, following malaria, with annual deaths estimated between 20,000 and 30,000. Two recent documentaries from the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) highlight the disease at a crucial juncture: while South Asia approaches near-elimination, East Africa faces an increasing burden.
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