A tropical parasite transmitted by sand flies causes skin infections in the US.

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Americans must be cautious of the sand fly, a blood-sucking insect that can transmit diseases. It is crucial to protect oneself from this insect, along with mosquitoes.

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Sand flies are tiny, tan insects, about a quarter the size of mosquitoes, commonly found in warm, humid, rural, and forested areas.

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In some places, they carry a parasite that causes a contagious disease called leishmaniasis. They are most active at night and can get through regular mosquito nets.

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Dr. Mary Kamb, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC in Atlanta, stressed the need for greater awareness of Leishmania parasite bites and the CDC's expertise in identifying parasite species.

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Kamb and her CDC colleagues found leishmaniasis in tissue samples from patients who hadn't traveled abroad. Genetic analysis was done on the samples and presented at a medical conference.

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The patients all had skin infections that started as small bumps and turned into sores after being bitten by a sand fly.

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Leishmania invades organs causing visceral leishmaniasis, which is severe and not transmitted in the US. Travelers to tropical regions are at risk. Untreated, it can be fatal.

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The majority of the skin samples included in the CDC study were sourced from Texas, the sole US state that presently mandates healthcare professionals to report cases of leishmaniasis.

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A recent research review, published in 2021, has revealed that instances of locally acquired infections have also been documented in southeast Oklahoma.

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