Leishmaniasis [Leishmania spp.]

Life cycle of Leishmania spp.

Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of female phlebotomine sandflies. The sandflies inject the infective stage, promastigotes, during blood meals. Promastigotes in part on the Leishmania species. This originates the clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis. Sandflies become infected during blood meals on an infected host when they ingest macrophages infected with amastigotes. In the sandfly's midgut, the parasites differentiate into promastigotes, which multiply and migrate to the proboscis.

This image is a work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, taken or made as part of an employee's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

Source: CDC; http://dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/html/imagelibrary/Leishmaniasis_il.asp?body=G-L/Leishmaniasis/body_Leishmaniasis_il_th.htm.

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