Leishmaniasis

Spread by sandfly bites. It usually appears as skin sores that heal slowly.

Is leishmaniasis worse than usual anywhere?

At or below its usual in every country that reports it.

What is leishmaniasis?

Leishmaniasis is caused by tiny parasites carried by sandflies. One kind causes skin sores; a more serious kind, kala-azar, attacks organs inside the body.

Signs
Skin sores, mostly on uncovered skin, that can leave scars. Kala-azar causes fever that comes and goes, weight loss, a swollen belly from a big spleen and liver, and weakness.
How it spreads
Through the bite of an infected female sandfly. Sandflies pick up the parasite from infected people or animals.
How to protect yourself
Sleep under insecticide-treated nets, spray insecticide in homes, and protect your skin from sandfly bites. Early treatment of sick people also helps stop it spreading.
Get medical help
See a doctor for a skin sore that will not heal. Get care quickly for long-lasting fever, weight loss or a swollen belly: untreated kala-azar is nearly always deadly but curable.

In Dooram's words, from the World Health Organization. Source: WHO fact sheet: Leishmaniasis, read 8 October 2026. General information, not medical advice.

Which districts are furthest above their usual?

3 districts are above usual.

Each district against itself. A large district always has more cases than a small one, so each is compared only with its own usual.

When does leishmaniasis usually peak?

  • Sri LankaTwice a year: most often around August and September (6 of 12 years), and around January and March (4).

What "usual" means.

Sources. Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, weekly report.