Leishmaniasis occurs in Africa, but also in many other places. The ceramic record in pre-Colombian Central and South America includes depictions of people suffering from severe Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis, while Middle Eastern and British “explorers” into India supposedly came across villages completely wiped out by Visceral Leishmaniasis. It’s even speculated that Machu Picchu was built where it was because it was above the elevation where Leishmaniasis occurs. I’m all for curing it because 2 of the 3 forms are hideously dangerous (Cutaneous Leishmaniasis less so), but it’s disingenuous to call it an African disease.
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Leishmaniasis occurs in Africa, but also in many other places. The ceramic record in pre-Colombian Central and South America includes depictions of people suffering from severe Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis, while Middle Eastern and British “explorers” into India supposedly came across villages completely wiped out by Visceral Leishmaniasis. It’s even speculated that Machu Picchu was built where it was because it was above the elevation where Leishmaniasis occurs. I’m all for curing it because 2 of the 3 forms are hideously dangerous (Cutaneous Leishmaniasis less so), but it’s disingenuous to call it an African disease.