By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

In an update on the leishmaniasis situation in Kenya, officials reported an additional 24 cases during the week ending Oct. 6.

Sandfly/CDC

This brings the total cases reported in 2019 to 2,696, including 34 deaths.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, suspected and confirmed cases of leishmaniasis have been reported from Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir and Garissa counties.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that is found in parts of the tropics, subtropics, and southern Europe. Leishmaniasis is caused by infection with Leishmania parasites, which are spread by the bite of infected sand flies. There are several different forms of leishmaniasis in people. The most common forms are cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores, and visceral leishmaniasis, which affects several internal organs (usually spleen, liver, and bone marrow).

People with cutaneous leishmaniasis who develop clinical evidence of infection have one or more sores on their skin. The sores can change in size and appearance over time. The sores may start out as papules (bumps) or nodules (lumps) and may end up as ulcers (like a volcano, with a raised edge and central crater); skin ulcers may be covered by scab or crust. The sores usually are painless but can be painful.

There is not a vaccine available to prevent leishmaniasis. The best way is to avoid sandfly bites.